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Animal brains networked

27.07.2015

Scientists from Duke University (USA) have combined the brains of several monkeys into a real living computer that can perform specific tasks.

Neuroscientists have been working on bionic prosthetic interfaces that allow animals and humans to control the movement of limbs with the power of thought. To do this, the brains of three monkeys were connected to a computer, on the screen of which the movements of a robotic arm were displayed in real time.

By synchronizing their thoughts, the monkeys were able to force the limb to reach the target and receive a reward for it. Then the scientists made the task more difficult for the primates: each animal could control the movements of the manipulator in only one dimension.

Monkeys again managed to join forces and solve this problem, creating a complex structure, which scientists called the "brain" (Brainet). Then, in the course of further experiments, neurophysiologists decided to try to connect the brains not only to a computer, but also to each other.

Two pairs of electrodes were implanted in the areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for controlling movements in four rats for neurostimulation and recording of brain activity. The scientists then began sending electrical impulses and rewarding the animals for successfully synchronizing brain activity.

After ten "training" sessions, the rats learned to perform tasks successfully in 61% of cases. Scientists believe that the brain is able to synchronize with other brain signals, like a computer.

If the brains of several people can be connected in a similar way, then there is a chance that they will learn to exchange thoughts with each other without the help of speech. For now, neurophysiologists hope to use the "brain network" to more effectively use bionic prostheses.

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Dogs respond better to women's voices than to men's. 02.09.2023

Recent research confirms that dogs have a clear preference for female voices, which elicit a more intense response in their brains than male voices. This remarkable discovery was made by an international team of scientists who conducted a series of experiments with various breeds of dogs.

The researchers selected 19 adult dogs of various breeds, including golden retrievers, border collies, cocker spaniels, Australian shepherds, Chinese crested dogs, cairn terriers, labrador retrievers and mongrels. Before the start of the experiment, the dogs were specially prepared for the process of scanning the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and trained to remain still.

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