Ready to lose weight for good in 2020? Scientists are creating a chip they can implant in obese people's brains that will zap them when they think about food.

That seems quite drastic, bordering on offensive, but in clinical trials that are underway, six morbidly obese people have agreed to take part as this new endeavor looks promising in its nascent stage.

The chip, known as a responsive neurostimulation system (RNS), was originally developed by medical technology company NeuroPace to treat people with epilepsy.

Once implanted in the brain, it records brain activity continuously, and delivers a mild electric shock whenever it detects a specific pattern of activity that signals the onset of a seizure.

This shock is designed to stop the seizure before it begins.

A recent research study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrated that the same technique could be used to suppress binge-eating behavior in mice.

 

More From 97.1 KXRX