Do we have a sixth sense? During the tsunami disaster in the Indian ocean region, the ancient tribespeople inhabiting there were somehow able to sense danger, and move to higher grounds. Animals were also able to do the same, and in Sri Lankan forests, not one animal died due to the tsunami. There have been no solid proof one way or other, but now researchers from the Washington University in St. Louis have identified a brain region (Anterior Cingulate Cortex, or ACC) that clearly acts as an early warning system. This region a) monitors environmental cues, b) weighs possible consequences and c) helps us adjust our behavior to avoid dangerous situations.

ACC lights up (Courtesy: Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, UCLA)The research is presented in the Feb. 18 issue of the journal Science. The ACC is a brain area located near the top of the frontal lobes and along the walls that divide the left and right hemispheres, and is involved in a lot of the executive control processes of the brain.
In the past, scientists detected activity in the ACC, when people have to weigh options and make a decision. This region is also active when a person recognizes he/she has made a mistake. Now scientists have found that ACC can recognize when we might make a mistake, and take appropriate action. So the ACC operates as an early warning system, and warns us when there might be a potential danger nearby. The most interesting part of the study: scientists found that the ACC warning often reaches us unconsciously; we might decide to avoid danger, without necessarily (or vaguely) being aware of it!
Scientists are now trying to create a model of the ACC using computers, and that should help in creating early warning systems that can learn from mistakes, and make predictions that are more like intuition, than a logical decision.