Brain implants boost ability to think flexibly and shake anxiety

Electrically stimulating a region within the centre of the brain helped people with pre-existing brain implants to adapt to changing goals and improve their well-being, pointing to a method for personalised treatment

By Helen Thomson

Electrical brain stimulation in people with pre-existing brain implants has allowed them to think more flexibly and clear anxious thoughts, suggesting it has the potential to treat conditions like depression.

Alik Widge at the University of Minnesota and his colleagues found that applying an electric current within the centre of the brain boosted people’s ability to rapidly adapt to changing goals, known as cognitive control, and in some cases improved their feelings of well-being too.

The …