Many people prefer a quiet place to study, but for some people, ‘noise’ may play an important role in enhancing their learning potential. A research team at Idiscowan University in Australia investigated the effect of ‘transcranial random noise stimulation’ (tRNS) in various environments and discovered the applicability of this technology.
Although the word ‘noise’ is included, tRNS does not use noise in the ordinary, auditory sense. It uses electrodes attached to the head to allow a weak current to pass through certain parts of the brain.
“Our study shows that tRNS has potential as a tool to help people with impaired learning abilities,” said Dr. Ono van der Gronn, research director. Being able to help people with neurological disorders.
For example, you can use this method for people with learning difficulties. The researchers tested it on people with visual impairments due to stroke or traumatic brain injury. Adding these stimuli during learning can lead to better performance, faster learning, and better attention afterwards.
formation of new paths
According to van der Gronn, tRNS works by making the brain form new connections and pathways known as neuroplasticity. When you learn something, changes in neuroplasticity occur in the brain, which allow it to learn information. The tool to improve this neuroplasticity is called tRNS.
He said tRNS had two effects on the brain. One was the ‘acute’ effect that allowed them to perform better while receiving tRNS, and the other was the moderating effect that showed sustained results. After repeating the visual recognition task 10 times with tRNS, they returned after a while and performed the same task again without tRNS, showing better performance than the control group that did not use it.
‘Unlimited’ potential?
The idea of expanding learning potential with technologies such as tRNS is controversial. This skill is most relevant to people who have learning difficulties. But it’s unclear whether it can take people without neurological disorders to new levels of intelligence.
“There is potential, but there are indications that it won’t create new levels of intelligence,” says van der Grun. There are case studies that have tried to improve the mathematical skills of brilliant mathematicians, but they did not significantly affect the performance of those who were already the best in their field. But it can be used if you learn something new outside of your field.
“The technology is still in its infancy and has access to tRNS in controlled tests, but its practicality and safety means it has a lot of potential for a variety of applications,” he said.
Currently, scientists around the world are exploring therapeutic potential for a variety of clinical conditions, including examining the effects of tRNS on perception, working memory, sensory processing and other aspects of behavior.
The study was published in Neuroscience. The original title is ‘Using noise for the better: The effects of transcranial random noise stimulation on the brain and behavior’.
Reporter Lee Bo-hyun [email protected]
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