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Health

We've cracked the brain's emotion code and it may help depression

By Andy Coghlan

10 September 2018

A brain scan of a healthy brain

Altering brain activity may one day treat depression and anxiety

SOVEREIGN, ISM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Patterns of electrical brain activity have been used for the first time to tell when people are sad, happy or depressed. It’s a first step towards treating people with depression or anxiety with devices which would constantly monitor their mood using brain signals.

Ultimately, the aim is to programme the devices so they actually help people overcome potentially dangerous negative emotions in real time by activating other, more uplifting networks in the brain.

Already, brain implants are helping people who are “locked-in” or paralysed

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