Daydreaming is a fascinating capability of the human mind, in which thoughts and fantasies roam freely without conscious control, fostering creativity and introspection.
A recent research study published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience by scientists from the University of Arizona utilized low-intensity ultrasound technology to change a part of the brain linked to daydreaming, memory recall, and future visualization without surgery. The study showed that this method can improve mindfulness, representing a significant development in neuroscience.
Scientists used a type of low-intensity ultrasound technology known as transcranial-focused ultrasound (TFUS) to change the default mode network in the brain. This network is a group of related brain regions that are notably active during tasks such as daydreaming.
Lead study author Brian Lord, a postdoctoral researcher in the U of A Department of Psychology, stated that they are the first to demonstrate the possibility of directly targeting and modulating the default mode network noninvasively.
One part of the default mode network, the posterior cingulate cortex, is believed to play a significant role in how the mind processes experiences. Lord, who is a member of the Science Enhanced Mindfulness Lab at the Center for Consciousness Studies at the university, stated that the default mode network becomes active when individuals engage in self-reflection, daydreaming, or immerse themselves in memories or future plans.
ImageBrian Lord
Lord stated that this is the way we create stories about our own lives.
Lord explained that although creating personal narratives is a normal and significant part of self-understanding, it can also prevent individuals from fully experiencing the present moment. This is exemplified when individuals attempting to meditate find themselves caught up in overthinking and negative thoughts.
In order to boost awareness and encourage individuals to be more present in the moment, Lord’s team utilized TFUS, a tool capable of accurately targeting specific areas of the brain without the need for surgery.
TFUS is unique in its ability to reach beneath the brain’s outer layer, known as the cortex, which sets it apart from other noninvasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial electrical stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Even just a brief five-minute session of TFUS can produce significant effects.
The study included 30 individuals who underwent transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (TFUS) to the posterior cingulate cortex within the default mode network of the brain. By using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers monitored any alterations in brain activity. Before and after the TFUS treatment, participants were required to share their emotions and encounters.
The research discovered that TFUS decreased communication between different parts of the brain in the default mode network, causing changes in participants’ mindfulness and personal experiences, including their self-awareness and perception of time.
Lord stated that the advantage of this method is that it requires only a small amount of energy to change brain activity. By using low-intensity ultrasound, you are simply nudging the brain gently.
Lord mentioned that the potential to focus on and modify brain networks could allow for the use of TFUS in personalized medicine, which is customized medical treatment designed for an individual based on their genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Additionally, TFUS could have applications in treating mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, an area of interest that other research teams are currently investigating.
Lord stated that while neuroimaging techniques can only show relationships with brain activity, noninvasive stimulation tools such as TFUS enable researchers to directly investigate the brain and create causal models. This capability is extremely beneficial for the advancement of neuroscience as a whole.
