McDougal Littell - Biology

Brain Imaging, Neural Computation and
Control of Prosthetic Devices

Scientists can now look at the functional activity of a living brain on a very fine scale, providing new insights into the age-old problem of the relationship between "mind" and "brain." The explosion of capability in functional brain imaging makes it possible, for example, to understand which parts of our brains are responsible for emotions, such as fear, attention and so forth. In tandem with this enhanced capability, neuroscientists also are beginning to understand how particular circuits control behavior. This knowledge allows scientist, for example, to wire up the brain of a monkey in such a way that the monkey can remotely control a robotic arm as though it were its own arm. Experiments with humans who have lost a limb are beginning to yield similar results, showing the enormous potential this technology has for the development of prosthetic devices.