Using fMRI to Interpret Human Thought, https://bit.ly/3IkWRdp

The Birth of a New Field: Using fMRI to Interpret Human Thought

by Donald H. Marks

Physician,  scientist and 3rd generation veteran

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The idea of decoding the human mind and interpreting thoughts is a concept that has fascinated humanity for centuries. Yet, it was in the mid-2000s that this seemingly futuristic concept was transformed into a scientific reality. The breakthrough discovery that functional MRI (fMRI) could be applied to interpret thoughts was originated by my research during 2004-2005.

My work was the first to document these concepts and the enabling research, leading to the publication of "Determination of Truth from Deception Using Functional MRI and Cognitive Engrams" in 2006. This pioneering article laid the foundation for a new field, demonstrating that it was possible to identify specific thoughts based on brain activity patterns. To secure this discovery, I filed a patent application on July 13, 2005, claiming priority from my initial work in October 2004. I also presented my core hypothesis to the Brain Imaging Group at the NIH in May 2004.

The Conceptual Breakthrough: Cognitive Engrams

The central concept behind my discovery is what I termed a Cognitive Engram. A Cognitive Engram is essentially the unique neural signature or "fingerprint" of a specific thought. Every time you think of a face, an object, a place, or a concept, a distinct and reproducible pattern of brain activation occurs. This unique pattern is the Cognitive Engram for that thought.

My research envisioned assembling a "Rosetta Stone of the mind"—a vast database containing a library of these Cognitive Engrams.  By matching a person's fMRI data to this database, we can identify the specific thoughts they are having. This method allows for a two-way interpretation: converting an fMRI image into a specific thought, or conversely, predicting the brain activity pattern that corresponds to a particular thought. This is the essence of applied mind reading.

Subsequent Validation

My work established the foundational principle, which has since been validated and built upon by others. Subsequent publications by researchers such as Kay, Naselaris, Prenger & Galant in 2007, and Kriegeskorte et al., also in 2007, further supported the concept of a library of Cognitive Engrams. While many scientists contributed to the development of fMRI technology itself, my research provided the conceptual leap that allowed the technology to be used for interpreting thought.

Key Publications

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

 * 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.

Patents

1)    Brain Function Decoding Process And System. US 7,627,370, December 1, 2009. Marks, Donald H.

2)    Brain Function Decoding Process And System. Marks, Donald H.  Patent application filed March 25, 2010, US Serial No. 12/731,264, claiming priority to the application filed on March 30, 2009, and assigned Serial No. 61/164,724.

3)     THOUGHT AND MEMORY PLAYBACK METHOD, Marks, Donald H. and Levy, Steven. Patent application filed October 25, 2017, US Serial No. 62576822.