Rare counting ability induced by temporarily switching off brain region

British Psychological Society Research Digest, June 9, 2006

Applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the left anterior temporal lobe allow for temporary exceptional counting and calculating abilities similar to those of autistic savants, according to Allan Snyder of Australian National University.

By temporarily inhibiting activity in the left anterior temporal cortex, the TMS allows the brain's number estimator to act on raw sensory data, without it having already been automatically grouped together into patterns or shapes.



Perception 2006, volume 35, number 6, pages 837 – 845

DOI:10.1068/p5539

Savant-like numerosity skills revealed in normal people by magnetic pulses

Allan Snyder, Homayoun Bahramali, Tobias Hawker, D John Mitchell
Received 3 August 2005, in revised form 19 October 2005; published online 3 May 2006

Abstract. Oliver Sacks observed autistic twins who instantly guessed the exact number of matchsticks that had just fallen on the floor, saying in unison "111". To test the suggestion that normal individuals have the capacity for savant numerosity, we temporarily simulated the savant condition in normal people by inhibiting the left anterior temporal lobe of twelve participants with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This site has been implicated in the savant condition. Ten participants improved their ability to accurately guess the number of discrete items immediately following rTMS and, of these, eight became worse at guessing as the effects of the pulses receded. The probability of as many as eight out of twelve people doing best just after rTMS and not after sham stimulation by chance alone is less than one in one thousand.

As we get closer and closer to understanding the brain....so do we at altering and enhancing it. This is the research I live for.

Fascinating, but their work implies that individuals with lesions to their left anterior temporal lobe will also possess the rare counting ability.

Well it suggests the left anterior temporal lobe in a healthy people when suppressed by magnetic waves enhances an aspect of cognitive skill namely counting.

I wonder what would happen if this treatment was applied to a autistic person.

rTMS can be used in mindcontrol, i have proof

http://brainmeta.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15092

They would probably turn into being both non-social AND lose their enhancements instead of just being non social. who knows. the most exciting aspect is reward pathway enhancement.