It may sound like something out of the latest Science-Fiction movie ” Inception “, but scientists have now discovered a way to implant subliminal messages into people’s brains without them even knowing it.  Although the thought of having an artificial memory pumped into our brain may sound a little daunting, the benefits that it could have for some people, including those with autism could be phenomenal.

During the research, subjects were asked to complete a series of tasks while lying underneath an fMRI machine and the instructions they received were to try and regulate their brain activity.  Afterward, the subjects were given scores on how well they apparently performed during the tests.  The results of the tests showed that when subjects unconsciously thought of the color red they received higher scores and when they were shown pictures of black and white stripes they somehow saw the color red!  Why is this?This is the result of subliminal message planting.  During the tests, while the subjects thought they were completing a series of tests, they were subconsciously trained to see the color red whenever they were shown pictures of black and white stripes.  The scientists found that this type of neurofeedback training is a great way to strengthen associative memories and to learn anywhere in the brain.

But, as well as enhancing memories, this type of technological process could also be used to delete bad experiences from the brain, which could be very useful in treating trauma victims. Or, it could also work by changing the way in which brain currently makes connections to help those with high-functioning autism or even depression. Although much more research is needed into this area, as well as some well-written rules, before we will see it commercially, this type of implant really could help millions of people one day.