<br />In a pilot human study, researchers from The University of Minnesota Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, indicates that a possible new approach can be used for treating a variety of severe mental illnesses via improving specific human brain functions related to self-control and mental flexibility. the new approach merges artificial intelligence with targeted electrical brain stimulation.<br />In their study, hundreds of tiny electrodes are placed throughout the brain of 12 patients undergoing brain surgery for epilepsy. These tiny electrodes record the brain activity and identify where seizures originate, and this part of the brain is responsible for cognitive control that is impaired in most mental illness. When simulated with small amounts of electrical energy, the mental functions of the patient are improved. <br />