Brain Mapping: A Window into Criminal Memory

This technique is used to determine scientifically what information is in or what information is not stored in the brain. It measures the response to the visual and audio stimulus. Stimulus is a thing or event that evokes a specific functional reaction in organ or tissue.

  Blog   Mar 1, 2026   0   49  Add to Reading List
Brain Mapping: A Window into Criminal Memory

It measures the electrical brainwave response towards phrases or pictures that are presented on a computer screen.

The study and visualisation of brain activity through the use of sophisticated neuroimaging and electrophysiological instruments is known as brain mapping.  Knowing which areas of the brain light up in response to particular stimuli is helpful.  It is used to determine if a suspect has experiential knowledge—the real recollection of an incident or crime—in forensic circumstances.

INVENTION

Foundation of the Idea

         1965 – Samuel Sutton (USA):

    • Discovered the P300 brainwave (a positive peak in brain activity about 300 milliseconds after recognizing something familiar).

    • This discovery became the scientific basis for brain fingerprinting.

        1990s – Dr. Lawrence A. Farwell (USA):

  • An American neuroscientist and inventor.

  • Developed Brain Fingerprinting by combining EEG technology with the P300 brainwave principle.

  • Introduced a stronger response called MERMER (Memory and Encoding Related Multifaceted Electroencephalographic Response), which is more accurate than P300 alone.

Components of MERMER

  1. P300 Wave

    • A positive electrical peak that occurs about 300 milliseconds after the brain recognizes something familiar.

  2. Additional Brain Responses

    • MERMER also includes a late negative response and a frequency change in the brain’s electrical activity, making it more detailed than P300 alone. When brain recognise something then there is increase in nervous activity.

Techniques Used in Brain Mapping

  1. Electroencephalography (EEG):

    • Records electrical signals from brain neurons.

    • Useful for identifying abnormal patterns of recognition.

  2. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI):

    • Measures blood oxygen level changes in the brain.

    • Shows which areas become active when recognizing information.

  3. Positron Emission Tomography (PET):

    • Measures glucose metabolism in brain cells.

    • Active regions consume more energy.

  4. Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature Profiling (BEOS):

    • Special forensic tool developed in India.

    • Distinguishes between:

      • Experiential knowledge (suspect was at the crime scene)

      • Semantic knowledge (suspect just heard about it).