A lateral X-Ray of the head of a 38-year-old man shows two Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) leads with four electrodes attached to each implanted in the subcortical area of the brain called the thalamus. A little bit of current may calm the tremors of Parkinsons disease, ease depression and epilepsy, and awaken those with terrible injuries.
It's harder than you think to say hello to your mother--at least in terms of the work your brain has to do. A glimpse of Mom must first register on your occipital lobes as a pattern of light and shadow. From there it is relayed to your memory center, where it is identified by comparison with every other face you've ever seen. You must then summon the speech centers in your frontal lobes, which recruit your breath and muscles and at last allow you to utter the words Hi, Mom.
The fact that recognizing and acknowledging a familiar person is such...
