How we age can differ considerably, but more of it is in our hands than we often realise. To start with, we need to get to know ourselves better, learn how to rely on the gist of information that is available as memory loss progresses, and develop an ability to turn off the situations that distract us. Scientifically, there is an emerging body of knowledge about modifiable risk factors for brain disorders, many of which are more prevalent in older age. There are also age-tech solutions to empower people to live the lives they choose.
Dr. Allison Sekuler – Paweł Świeboda’s guest on this episode of NeuroCentury - is passionate about preventing, detecting and treating age-related sensory and cognitive decline. Her research was the first to show that older brains “rewire” themselves to compensate for functional changes. They form new connections, although naturally on a much smaller scale than before the age of 25. They also recruit new brain regions to fill the gaps.
Allison is Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Vice-President for Research at Baycrest Health Sciences. She holds faculty positions at University of Toronto and McMaster University. She also has scientific and industry collaborations across North America, the EU, and Asia, and is President and Chief Scientist at CABHI, Center for Ageing and Brain Health Innovation at Baycrest, a solution accelerator established in 2015 with funding of 124 million CAD. CABHI is a unique collaboration of health care organisations, science, industry, not-for-profit and government partners. The centre helps innovators get access to user groups, test and validate their projects.
Music can stretch our cognitive and sensory abilities. Allison plays the drums, has earned her Drum Professional Certificate, and she explains in the podcast why “drumming is the mother of all ageing interventions”.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
To measure the strength of a wellbeing economy, governments should adopt the notion of mental wealth, which goes beyond the monetised value of goods and services. Jo-An Occhipinti is the global champion of this concept. She is an epidemiologist and systems scientist, focused on improving the health and wellbeing of populations through systems modelling research. Jo-An is co-director of the Mental Wealth Initiative and head of systems modelling, simulation and data science at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney.
This episode of NeuroCentury comes from Sydney, where Paweł Świeboda discusses with Jo-An Occhipinti how to recognise the value of people’s contributions to the informal economy. It is the latter, or “social production”, that strengthens the social fabric and wellbeing of communities and nations. GDP, combined with social production, produces the Mental Wealth of nations. “In essence, Mental Wealth is a macroeconomic measure of the strength of a Wellbeing Economy”, Jo-An says.
If economic structures and policies are optimised only for growing GDP, insufficient attention is paid to impacts on environmental, social, and psychological health. In turn, these undermine economic performance, leading to further narrowing of the focus of economic policy on GDP growth. “Unless our economic models evolve, starting with reconfiguring GDP to account for social production, we will continue to face these pervasive and worsening challenges”.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
“Surpassing yourself, so that people can surpass the disease” – this is the motto of Hassan Fadli, Founder of “5 Ironman’s Beat Alzheimer’s” non-profit, aiming to promote awareness, prevention and research in the field of dementia (https://www.5ironmansbeatalzheimer.com/en). Hassan is an engineer by training and profession. A couple of years ago, he decided to honour his father, who has recently died of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and contribute to the community. Each Ironman race involves 3.86 km of swimming, 180,25 km cycling and 42,20 km of running. It is an exceptional effort, made for an exceptional cause.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda discusses with Hassan Fadli what lies ahead in the brain health campaign. The need for awareness-raising is shown by the recent data from the World Alzheimer Report 2024 (see: https://www.alzint.org/resource/world-alzheimer-report-2024/), which says that 88% of people living with dementia indicate experiencing discrimination. Also, 80% of the general public believes dementia is a normal part of ageing, which it is not (it is a disease).
More is known about the importance of prevention with the latest Lancet Commission report raising to 45% the share of dementia cases worldwide, which could potentilly be prevened or delayed by addressing a range of modifiable risk factors. However, prevention still needs to be translated into a lasting change in lifestyles.
Research in the neuro space is sinigificantly underfunded compared to other disciplines. As a result, only 2 disease-modifying drugs for AD have been authorised by the US FDA since 2000 as well as 9 symtomatic drugs. In comparison, there have been 573 drugs in oncology. Hassan’s non-profit is conducting a pilot phase of a longitudinal multi-case clinical research study with endurance athletes who are at risk for dementia related diseases focusing on their physical health, mental health, and resilience during sports training and competitions. Endurance is what the fight against AD will need with future cure offering the ultimate reward.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
Brain health cannot be easily measured by a single, straightforward test. Evaluations often involve multiple methods. One company which is on a mission to open brain health assessment to the wider public is Myndspan. Its approach integrates cognitive tests with MEG, or magnetoencephalography, analysis. MEG is an advanced brain scanning technique, which can provide a reading of brain activity at high temporal and spatial resolution. It has the power to identify issues before symptoms emerge.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Caitlin Baltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Myndspan. Caitlin moved into the brain health space from the world of finance and investment a few years ago, when the potential of MEG technology triggered her interest. Today, Myndspan offers brain health reports, combining an assessment of cognitive function and brain connectivity. It has the ambition of increasing the accessibility of this technology for better brain health.
Experts such as Prof. Sylvain Baillett from McGill argue that early MEG brain scanning could be key to forecasting future memory and attention problems. This is because it could read the way amyloid-beta and tau affect brain activity early on, which can predict changes in brain activity when patients experience mild cognitive impairments and AD later in life. In this context, Pawel’s and Caitlin’s conversation explores how brain health assessment methods could be part of a paradigm shift towards early detection and prevention strategies, given that brain disorders tend to be addressed today once symptoms are severe.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
The challenge of mental health continues to intensify across various demographics and regions. A recent report by Orygen, Australia's Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, highlights a "global crisis" in youth mental health, describing it as unprecedented and urgent. Delivery of care is where large part of the problem lies. United for Global Mental Health assesses the annual mental health financing gap at the level of USD 200 billion.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to JULES CHAPPELL, CEO of Kokoro (www.kokorochange.com), organization devoted to building coalitions to create a mentally healthy world. Jules is a former UK diplomat who served in Jordan, Iraq, the US, Ethiopia and Guatemala. She now leads a major philanthropic effort to build a people’s component to the world’s socio-economic transition. Jules and Kokoro are advocates of radical collaboration for mental health with a global network of allies, partners and funders.
The conversation explores factors that contribute to the mental health crisis, ranging from the influence of social media, insecure employment, reduced access to affordable housing and fears around climate change. It is also about positive developments such as how mental health is beginning to be treated in the workplace, with many companies offering mental health days, flexible working hours, on-site counseling, and comprehensive mental health benefits. Jules argues that we often have a blind spot for mental health and this needs to change. Just as most leaders know what they need to do on climate, they need to know the same for mental health.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, but for too long, health has been a footnote in climate discussions” – these words of the WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hold true for brain health as well. However, we are only beginning to understand how the changing climate is negatively impacting the human brain. Emerging evidence suggests that excessive heat can be severely damaging. Heat stress often leads to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, brain ischemia or neuronal damage. This can result in the worsening of the neurological disease symptoms, increased mental distress, or cognitive dysfunction.
Burcin Ikiz, who is Paweł Świeboda’s guest in this episode of the NeuroCentury podcast, is an award-winning neuroscientist working on neurodegenerative diseases, a founder and chair of the International Neuro Climate Working Group. As of 2023, she leads EcoNeuro, a research initiative dedicated to exploring the intersection of neuroscience and climate change for global health advancement. She leads many global initiatives aimed at addressing the link between climate change and brain health.
The conversation addresses the existing evidence with respect to the impact of climate and environmental pollution on the brain, as well as gaps in our understanding which require further research. It explores the mechanisms of action when pollutants enter the brain, the importance of taking both outdoor and indoor pollution into account, patient-driven research, the data which is needed to study the impact of the environment and climate on the brain, evidence-based interventions that will significantly improve outcomes of environmentally related mental illnesses, and the importance of international collaboration.
At the end of the exchange, Burcin shares a few great tips for a brain health routine.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
The brain does not function in isolation and there is a growing body of knowledge about the impact of environmental and social challenges on brain health. Air and water pollution, and exposure to plastics, heavy metals, and other toxic substances have a bearing on the brain. Similarly, the impact of inequality and disparity in income, education, and access to healthcare is significant. There is merit in studying the exposome, that is all exposures individuals encounter throughout their lifetime.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Prof. Agustin Ibáñez, Director of the Latin American Brain Health Institute at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Professor in Global Brain Health at Trinity College Dublin. Agustin is the main author of a recent paper in Neuron on “Neuroecological links of the exposome and One Health” He is founder and codirector of the ReDLat consortium aimed at fighting dementia collaboratively.
The conversation explores Agustin’s work on the environmental and social exposome, including how it can accelerate brain aging. The brain clock does not tick in a universal, linear fashion but instead captures the entropic, transient nature of time, Agustin says. It ages differently depending on the environment in which it is embedded. Interventions need to be tailored accordingly, but they inevitably have to be long-term and multi-level, given the interrelationship between impacts.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
Understanding how we make decisions and what this means for our social interactions is invaluable in fractured societies. Neuroscience has recently offered fresh insights on what drives joy and engagement and where chemistry between people comes from. This allows us to conceptualise “brain skills”, which are focused on our cognitive, emotional and social capabilities.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Prof. Michael Platt, Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and Professor of Marketing, Psychology, and Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael works on applying insights and technology from brain science to business and performance. He is the author of the book “The Leader’s Brain” on enhancing leadership skills and building stronger teams. He has also served as the President of the Society for Neuroeconomics.
The conversation explores Michael Platt’s work on the synchrony matrix, which is based on the realization that in certain situations brain activity becomes synchronized. Michael argues that with more synchrony in the group, one arrives at better decisions. Every conversation we have is part of our brain gym, daily routine which does good to our brain and our societies.
Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
It is the time of big promise in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). There are dozens of genetic risks discovered in recent years. There are also emerging blood tests whose performance in diverse groups of patients is currently being confirmed. New disease-modifying drugs help to remove beta-amyloid plaques from the brain. While AD is a complex disease and its onset is connected to multiple biochemical pathways in cells, the new treatments target a core component of Alzheimer’s Disease.
In this episode of NeuroCentury, its host Paweł Świeboda talks to Professor Stephen Salloway, one of the leading scholars working on biomarkers and drug development for prevention and early treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour and Professor of Neurology at Brown University. He is also Founding Director of the Memory and Ageing Program at Butler Hospital.
The conversation helps to disentangle what the new era in diagnosis and treatment of AD can bring, with the advent of monoclonal antibodies and the emergence of new generation brain health services. Rethinking the care journey is part of the process, since treatments need to start before symptoms emerge, or possibly even before the amyloid build-up. Future discovery research will go beyond lowering of amyloid levels to have an even bigger impact on the disease.
#neurocentury #AD #Alzheimer’sDisease #brain #brainhealth
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
Ascent of AI in healthcare opens the way to precision and personalized medicine becoming a standard of care in neurology. One important aspect is extracting more meaningful data from brain imaging and scans, given how crucial they are for the diagnosis and monitoring in neurology. Facing rising demand for brain MRI procedures, radiologists can increasingly have their AI companions, helping them to manage the task, as clinical burdens and disease complexity continue to increase.
In the episode of NeuroCentury, its host Paweł Świeboda discusses these game-changing developments with Wim Van Hecke, founder and CEO of Icometrix, a company that is enabling radiologists and physicians optimize their workflows and clinical decision-making Wim trained as engineer and specialized in biomedical engineering and neuroimaging. He is author or co-author of over 200 scientific publications and editor of a clinical neuroimaging handbook. He is also a visiting professor at Free University of Brussels.
Icometrix has developed a suite of tools for quantitative assessment of brain MRI scans in the different fields of neurology. It is now transforming the care of patients with neurological disorders. As disease-modifying treatments start to become available for Alzheimer’s disease, the importance of advanced diagnostic and prognostic technologies and biomarkers coming together to standardize care pathways, has never been greater.
#neurocentury #healthcare #brain #neurotechnology #neuroimaging #AI
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
What are the trends on the market for medical technologies and medical devices in the neuro space? How much of the impressive innovation coming out of the labs carries the promise of making impact on the lives of patients? In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Enric Claverol-Tinturé, Programme Manager for Medical Technologies and Medical Devices at the European Innovation Council, the EU’s prime vehicle for funding breakthrough innovation.
Enric is well versed in all matters neuro. He has a PhD degree in engineering and neuroscience and worked as scientist at the California Institute of Technology and the Barcelona-based Bioengineering Research Centre. He then run a spin-off company and founded a technology start-up. Enric’s ample experience in funding innovation includes his tenure as Director General of the Catalonia Foundation for R&I and the current pivotal role at the EIC.
Paweł and Enric discuss promising developments in neuro-electronics and neurotechnology more broadly. They reflect on how interdisciplinary collaboration can be further encouraged, so as to leverage advances in compact electronics, powerful computation and brain medicine. Enric explains what type of projects the EIC looks for and what entrepreneurial researchers as well as current and future founders should consider when preparing to apply for an EIC grant.
#neurocentury #neurotechnology #neuroscience
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
What is neuroethics and how it has evolved to make brain research and neurotechnology ethical in both medical and non-medical applications. In the latest episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda explores these questions with Dr Arleen Salles, Founding Board Member of the Institute of Neuroethics in Atlanta, Georgia and Director of Neuroética in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Arleen co-led the work on Responsible Research and Innovation in the Human Brain Project (2014-2023) and serves as an Executive Board Member of the International Neuroethics Society.
Paweł and Arleen discuss methods of integrating ethical and social considerations into neuroscience and neurotechnology projects: why are the questions about autonomy, integrity, agency or identity so important and how they should be addressed in the research and innovation process early on. The conversation considers whether self-regulation can successfully lead companies to incorporate ethics into their business models. Paweł and Arleen also explore the meaning of consent, one of the basic principles in biomedical ethics, in neuro-related research. Their discussion raises the question whether the debate over responsible AI design, development and deployment should be conducted jointly with the one on social and ethical considerations in neurotechnology.
In addition, the conversation is about international efforts on responsible innovation in neurotechnology, starting with the OECD Recommendation in 2019, the work of UN bodies, and more recently, the European Union. It also considers what role cultural considerations need to play in the debate over neurotechnology governance.
#neurocentury #neuroethics #neurotechnology #brain
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
A new generation of robots is emerging, directly inspired by the intelligence and bodies of living organisms. What will result is a symbiosis of the human and the robot, says Prof. Dario Floreano, Director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the EPFL in Lausanne, in this episode of NeuroCentury, recorded at the Dubai Future Forum 2023.
Dario Floreano led the National Competence Centre in Research for Robotics in Switzerland, 2010-2022, a large consortium of academic and research institutions specializing in different aspects of robotic technology. He is co-author of the book “Tales from a Robotic World”, together with Nicola Nosengo.
The conversation covers programmes to develop intelligent robots for restoring, preserving and assisting humans. Wearable robotics is the type of robotics where the robot perceives what the person does and acts on the person by supporting his/her actions. Dario takes us through developments which started from large, bulky robots for neurorehabilitation, to wearable ones, and onto the situation in which the robot disappears and becomes embedded, integrated in the human.
Paweł and Dario discuss educational robotics and how 80 thousand robots are now deployed in Swiss schools and elsewhere for teaching and learning. They explore the impact of the rise of robotics on the labour market, given the ongoing automation of many human tasks. Looking into the future, Paweł asks Dario about biohybrid robots, ones that weave electronics with living cells.
#neurocentury #robots #roboticworld #neurotechnology
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
Coming from Dubai, this episode of NeuroCentury, is devoted to advances in genetics and their impact on the treatment of brain disorders. Paweł Świeboda talks to Mohammed Uddin, a human geneticist with a focus on the genetics neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Mohammed is Professor at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai, an important emerging hub for genomic medicine.
Entire buckets of genes are now established in genome-wide discovery studies. Yet, the pathway towards understanding the underlying biology is not always obvious. Many genes might be plausible candidates for associated variants. Most traits are polygenic, and many genetic variants have small effect. In this context, the episode covers the future of clinical genomics, with emphasis on mass scale modelling to characterize variants of uncertain significance, the use of Machine Learning in variant detection, single cell sequencing and the Pangenome initiative to identify population-specific risk factors
The conversation zooms in on Autism Spectrum Disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1 in 44 children globally. Over 100 genes have been identified to be strongly associated with the ASD. Mohammed’s work has shown that non-neuronal cells, the astrocytes, play a strong role in the development of autism.
Mohammed has recently launched a startup GenomeArc with a platform for ultrafast genome variant classification and interpretation. In the conversation, he explains why it is so important to obtain this type of rapid reading of the genome.
#neurocentury #genetics #genomicmedicine #brainhealth
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
The word is often on our mouths, especially with the letter A in front of it although the latter might not be… intelligent. So, what is intelligence and how has it emerged? Dayeol Lee, Bloomsberg Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience, Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University studies decision-making and has written a wonderful book, “The Birth of Intelligence” where he traces the origins of the concept.
Intelligence is what makes us unique as a species. It is the ability to take decisions and solve problems under a variety of environments, “for life”, Dayeol adds. Intelligence is expressed in behaviours and the latter are product of brain functions. But decision-making is also the focus of disciplines such as biology, economy or psychology, making the study of intelligence interdisciplinary.
Daeyeol Lee argues that intelligence is inextricably linked to life and the need to self-replicate. At its heart, there is the relationship between the genes and the brain. The genes delegate the responsibility for their replication to the brain and this is the ultimate reason why the brain plays such a critical role in decision-making. Artificial intelligence is a surrogate of human intelligence. Today’s machines do not reproduce themselves, and hence they are intelligent “through us”. Once advances are made in artificial life, this may change, but why would we wish for it?
#neurocentury #neuroscience #intelligence #AI
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
Dementia touches on the most intimate aspects of what it means to be human. There is a mountain to be moved for the patient, and another one for the caregiver. In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Mary Lou Falcone, author of the recent book “I Didn’t See It Coming: Scenes of Love, Loss and Lewy Body Dementia”. Mary Lou is a classical music publicist. She has supported the careers of celebrated artists such as Gustavo Dudamel, Renée Fleming or James Taylor, and has worked with prestigious music institutions. She is an advocate for Lewy Body Dementia awareness.
Mary Lou’s book is a moving memoir of a loving relationship with her late husband, Nicholas “Nicky” Zann, who died in 2020 of Lewy Body Dementia. Nicky Zann was a rock-and-roll musician as well as world-renowned cartoonist, illustrator and painter. His illustrations introduce each chapter of the book written by Mary Lou Falcone. They were a couple for 37 years.
The conversation is about Mary Lou’s and Nicky’s joint experience with Lewy Body Dementia. We follow the journey from the diagnosis to Nicky’s last moments, exploring the nature of the Lewy Body Dementia, which is the second most common form of progressive dementia in the United States after Alzheimer’s.
Mary Lou and Paweł discuss where caregivers can get the strength and support needed to look after their relatives with dementia, an experience which Mary Lou calls “life-altering” and “life-affirming”. They explore what can be done to improve the patients’ quality of life, as the disease progresses.
As Mary Lou has said, caregiving is a gift. She gives us another one by sharing her experience in the beautifully written book.
#neurocentury #brainhealth #dementia #LewyBodyDementia #MaryLouFalcone
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
This episode of NeuroCentury comes from Padova, Italy, where Paweł Świeboda spoke last week (XI.2023) to Prof. Paolo Bonato about his innovative approach to precision rehabilitation interventions in neurological patients. Prof. Bonato is Director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston MA, and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Harvard Medical School.
Having studied biomechanics of human movement, Prof. Bonato has developed and tested robotics and wearable technology systems to retrain motor function in patients with mobility-limiting conditions, including cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s Disease. The use of arm or leg exoskeletons is tailored to address individual mobility impairments. In treating traumatic brain injury patients, Prof. Bonato applies stimulation methods, together with motor training. The latter is delivered via a robotic system with virtual reality modules.
The conversation covers ongoing projects in Prof. Bonato’s lab, including combining home robots with wireless body and ambient sensor networks to detect falls at home. Wireless wearable sensor systems are also used to monitor fluctuations in patients with Parkinson’s Disease Algorithms developed on this basis can predict clinical scores. Towards the end of the discussion, Prof. Bonato shares his reflection about the way to combine neuroscience insights with advancements in bioengineering, to ensure that greater understanding of the mechanisms of motor control can translate into more effective interventions.
#neurocentury #bioeninnering # neuroscience #brainhealth #neurologycare
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Prof. Paola Zaratin, Director of Scientific Research at the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society and a global champion for greater patient engagement. The conversation took place on the margins of last week’s Brain Innovation Days organized by the European Brain Council in Brussels (26-27 October 2023).
It is a unique time to be speaking about Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The first disease modifying treatment emerged thirty years ago this year and there are now over 30 treatments approved in the US. Progress has been such that the word cure has firmly entered the vocabulary as a function of greater understanding of the malfunction of the immune system of people with MS and learning from earlier clinical trials.
The conversation covers the current and future research agenda for MS cure, the nature of MS as a disease of the entire lifespan, development of standards for patient-reported outcomes and their co-creation with patients, the case for a paradigm shift from a patient-centric approach to a model infused with patient input throughout the scientific process, the MULTI-ACT model framework to understand how people affected by MS can give their contribution, need for enabling tools to encourage patient engagement in research, the case for actively embedding patients in research and the role of funding agencies.
#NeuroCentury #brain #multiplesclerosis #BrainInnovationDays #brainhealth
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda talks to Amir Bozorgzadeh, Co-Founder and CEO of Virtuleap, a company that works on addressing mental disorders, cognitive illnesses and learning challenges using Virtual Reality (VR). Paweł and Amir saw each other a few days ago at the Neuro Summit, organized by Broadreach Global and hosted by the Champalimaud Foundation, where Amir won the start-up pitch competition in Lisbon in a tough competition of over a dozen shortlisted companies.
The main current product of Virtuleap is EnhancedVR, a library of cognitive exercises to examine and train cognitive skills. In collaboration with Roche, the company is now working on a new product, called CogniclearVR, which it aims to make available by the end of the year. Its focus will be on cognitive decline.
The conversation covers incredible progress of VR and what it means for diagnostic and therapeutic application, how VR assesses cognitive performance, what treasure trove of high quality and multisensory data is created as a result. Paweł and Amir discuss the academic underpinnings of Virtuleap’s product development as well as the medical validation methods. Finally, they look into challenges to rollout and Virtuleap’s business model.
#neurocentury #brain #virtuleap #VR #virtualreality
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
In this episode, Paweł Świeboda talks to Dr. Harris Eyre, Lead of the Brain Capital Alliance, a public-private partnership arguing that transformational approaches are needed in today’s health systems and the economy. Given the ongoing technological acceleration, changing demographics and geoeconomics, it is brain capital that can make a difference in driving systemic preparedness, meeting modern societal challenges and driving innovation. In brain capital, the premium is put on brain skills and brain health, including individual’s cognitive, emotional, and social brain resources.
Harris has worked as a physician, scientist, entrepreneur, author, new economic and finance thinker and neuroscience diplomat. Among numerous different roles, he is a Senior Fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at the Rice University, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.
The conversation covers the origin and the meaning of brain capital; ways of placing the concept at the center of economics, policy, finance and technology; the Brain Capital Industrial and Innovation strategy; efforts to quantify and track brain capital with an open knowledge platform - the Brain Capital Dashboard focused on brain capital drivers, brain health and brain skills; and the role brain capital could play in the post-SDG agenda.
#neurocentury #brain #braincapital #brainhealth
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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki
