With fMRI, there were, consistently, unique areas of the brain -- and more of them -- that were activated during the deceptive process than during truth telling.

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We have detected areas of the brain activated by deception and truth telling by using a method that is verifiable against the current gold standard method of lie detection -- the conventional polygraph.

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A more consistent and verifiable method of lie detection could lead to changes in this particular realm of the legal system down the road.

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Since brain activation is arguably less susceptible to being controlled by an individual, our research will hopefully eliminate the shortcomings of the conventional polygraph test and produce a new method of objective lie detection that can be used reliably in a courtroom or other setting.

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I think we're probably two to three years away from coming up with a technique where we might be able to put an individual in an MRI scanner and say whether an individual is telling the truth or telling a lie. But I think we have the technology. I cannot say with a 100 percent certainty, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

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