My epiphany. Discovery of Using fMRI to Interpret Human Thoughts

Discovery of Using fMRI to Interpret Human Thoughts 

 Donald H. Marks, M.D., Ph.D  

The discovery that functional MRI studies can be applied to interpret thoughts originated with the breakthrough 2004-2005 research of Donald H. Marks. The first published documentation of these breakthrough concepts and enabling research first appeared in the following article: Marks DH, Adineh M, Gupta S: Determination of Truth from Deception Using Functional MRI and Cognitive Engrams. The Internet Journal of Radiology. 2006. Volume 5, Number 1.

My patent application on using fMRI for thought interpretation was filed 7/13/05, claiming priority benefit to 10/19/04. 

I presented my initial hypothesis on using fMRI to interpret thoughts to the Brain Imaging Group at the NIH, on May 26, 2004. Persons present at this meeting included Kriegeskorte. Other work published subsequent to my 2007 article, which also validate my concept of a library of Cognitive Engrams, include studies by Kay, Naselaris, Prenger & Galant 2007, and also Kriegeskorte et al 2007. The conceptual work first documented in my 2007 article envisions assembling a veritable Rosetta Stone of the mind, allowing two-way movement between actual imaging data and a database of brain activation maps created from neuroimaging studies. A wide range of faces, objects, places and concepts have unique activation map correlates, which are each termed Cognitive Engrams. The presence of specific Cognitive Engrams within neuroimaging data allows for the identification of the actual thought which led to a specific brain activation – a form of applied mind reading. 

Applications under development since this discovery include background and security checks, lie detection, and non-invasive interrogation (Marks DH et al: Determination of Truth from Deception Using Functional MRI and Cognitive Engrams. The Internet Journal of Radiology [peer-reviewed serial on the Internet]. 2006. Volume 5, Number 1). 

 The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for thought interpretation has been a collaborative effort by many scientists. The development of fMRI in the 1990s is generally credited to Seiji Ogawa and Ken Kwong. Ogawa at the University of Minnesota published the first paper about the existence of the BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) brain signal. Then, at Massachusetts General Hospital, postdoctoral fellow Kenneth Kwong performed an experiment that produced what Martinos Center Director Bruce Rosen called “a eureka moment”. Furthermore, neuroscientist Marcel Just has made significant contributions to this field. His work with fMRI technology, along with my, has also contributed to understanding the physical makeup of our thoughts. 

Of course, it’s important to note that the field of thought interpretation using fMRI is vast and involves the contributions of many researchers over the years. It’s a continually evolving field with ongoing research. 

Publications of Dr Marks dealing with functional MRI and thought interpretation 

 Marks DH, Adineh M, Gupta S: Determination of Truth from Deception Using Functional MRI and Cognitive Engrams. The Internet Journal of Radiology. 2006. Volume 5, Number 1. 

Marks DH, Adineh M, Wang B, Gupta S, Udupa JK. Multidimensional Representation of Concepts as Cognitive Engrams in the Human Brain. The Internet Journal of Neurology. 2007. Volume 6, Number 1.

 Marks DH, Adineh M, Wang B, Gupta S. Use of fMRI to Predict Psychiatric Adverse Effects of Interferon Treatment for Hepatitis C. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2007:3(5) 655-667. 

 Marks DH, Adineh M, Gupta S. MR Imaging of Drug-Induced Suicidal Ideation. Internet J Radiology, 9(1). 2008. 

Marks DH, Valsasina P, Rocca M and Filippi M. Case Report: Documentation of Acute Neck Pain in a Patient Using Functional MR Imaging. Internet Journal of Pain, Symptom Control and Palliative Care. 2010, Vol 8(1). 

Marks DH, A Yildiz, S Vural, S Levy. Face Recognition, Reversible Correlation Between fMRI and Biometrics Data. The Internet Journal of Radiology. 2017 Volume 20 Number 1.