Neuropsychological concepts in the movies: Lucy (2014) By Victor DelBene, MA and Kasey Rothkopf, MA- AACN Student Members Lucy is a science-fiction movie based on the outdated premise that humans use only 10% of their total brain capacity. This myth has been perpetuated in popular culture, with Lucy – the main character - as the latest example. In the film, Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is abducted and forced to become a drug courier. The drug (a substance called CPH4) causes Lucy to develop superhuman abilities after the package in her abdominal cavity ruptures. The effects of CHP4 are immediately evident. Lucy becomes hyper-alert, with greatly reduced emotional expression, and exhibits significant strength, among other new skills (e.g., spontaneously learning Mandarin). As she works to elude her captors, Lucy contacts Professor Samuel Norman (Morgan Freeman), a neuroscientist famous for his work on the theoretical concept of increasing cognitive abilities through unlocking “unused” parts of the brain. Professor Norman correctly (in the context of the movie) hypothesizes that Lucy will continue to gain abilities as she unlocks more of her cortex (the “grey matter” of the brain). These new skills include an ability to control the bodies of others, the suppression of pain and emotion, and controlling electromagnetic energy. Given the poetic and inspirational nature of the 10% myth, it is understandable why it has not yet disappeared from popular culture. The myth evokes hope for the opportunity to control one’s future and the concept that “anything is possible” through cognitive growth. This is the underlying theme throughout Lucy, as Lucy uncovers increased cognitive abilities after unlocking more of her cortex. Dispelling the “10%” myth are functional neuroimaging data (e.g. fMRI, PET, EEG), which provide evidence that the entire brain is active at all times. Some structures show increased or decreased levels of activation, but nothing is turned off or locked. The brain is always active, and is always sensing, perceiving, regulating, and communicating - even at rest (when a person is not purposefully “thinking”). This “resting” state has come to be called the “default network,” because the brain “defaults” to it, when not engaged actively in something. Another important factor that challenges the 10% theory relates to principles of neural development. Specifically, synaptic connections (located at the junction between neurons) are formed and strengthened as we learn and develop new abilities. Conversely, unused or extraneous synaptic connections and neurons are “pruned” (yes, just like what one does to the rose bush to promote healthy growth) to aid in more efficient communication between neurons. If we truly use only 10% of our brain, the dormant and “unused” remaining 90% of grey matter would also suffer the grim fate of synaptic pruning. But, this is not what happens. That said, if you “turn of your empirical brain” and just enjoy the movie, there are redeemable qualities. However, in our opinion, Lucy does not compare to other science fiction films of a similar nature (e.g. The Matrix, Inception). youtube/watch?v=MVt32qoyhi0
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 15:34:49 +0000
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