Neurofeedback System for Disassociating Reward Memory
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for disassociating the memory of a reward with events or objects are limited, as they may rely on pharmaceuticals that can have unintended consequences, such as depression, and do not effectively address the unconscious brain stimulation leading to difficulty in self-control, especially in behaviors like dieting or addiction.
Innovation Solution
A neurofeedback system that uses triggers representative of positive events, such as images, sounds, or sensations, and incorporates negative results to disassociate the memory of a reward, employing neurofeedback processors and user interfaces like smartphones or neurofeedback devices to provide unpleasant feedback, thereby reducing dopamine release and associated pleasure reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pharmaceuticals are used to curb neurochemical reactions associated with rewards, then the ability to disassociate reward memory from events is improved, but unintended consequences such as depression occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computer-based system as an intermediary between the reward event and the neurochemical response. The system presents triggers (visual, auditory, or tactile stimuli) that are associated with reward events, and provides contingent feedback (such as unpleasant sensations or negative feedback) to disrupt the automatic dopamine release. This intermediary approach achieves disassociation of reward memory without using pharmaceuticals, thereby avoiding side effects like depression while still modifying the neurochemical response through controlled stimulus-feedback pairing.
2Measurement precision
If the brain is stimulated by dopamine from previously rewarded behavior, then focus on the event is enhanced, but self-control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing counteracting stimuli before the reward event occurs. The system presents triggers that are paired with unpleasant or negative feedback in advance, creating a preemptive disruption to the dopamine-driven focus mechanism. This allows the individual to maintain awareness of the reward event while simultaneously experiencing counterbalancing stimuli that reduce the compulsive focus, thereby preserving self-control capacity without eliminating the focus enhancement entirely.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application is a neurological feedback system and method. The neurological feedback provides a trigger event to evoke a first neurological response from the brain of a user and a feedback event to evoke a second neurological response from the brain of a user to counter the first neurological response. As such, when the trigger event evokes a positive first neurological response, such that, for example, dopamine is released by the brain, the feedback event evokes a negative second neurological response, such that, for example, less or no dopamine is released by the brain in response the trigger event (and the converse). The neurological feedback may be useful to break additions or train a brain not to crave certain things.