Daily Archives: May 13, 2017

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Fighting Depression – Beliefnet

Posted: May 13, 2017 at 5:57 am

TMS Fighting Depression

by Frank P. MacMaster

Imagine being consumed by an overwhelming feeling of sadness. Imagine losing interest in activities you used to reallyenjoy, feeling as if life is not worth living. This is clinical depression.

Depression can rob a person of their joy, vitality, friends, family, their work, and even their very life. A lot of people identify with depression because they have been sad over a loss. Depression is associated with sadness, but represents something more.

If I am at a dinner party, when I tell people I study depression in teenagers, I get Have you met my kid? Arent all teenagers depressed? One part is not true there. Nobody invites scientists to dinner parties. It brings the whole room down.

Depression is a smothering blanket that covers everything and robs you of the joys found in life. It makes going to work or even being with loved ones a sometimes-insurmountable chore. Depression hits during the prime working years and has a tremendous cost to society. The loss in productivity is on the order of billions. Stigma also makes treatment more difficult. People are often reluctant to seek help, to tell loved ones and co-workers.

Fighting depression has proven difficult. Finding the right medication or therapy for a person can sometimes take years. First-line treatments like antidepressants and psychotherapy result in remission of symptoms in about half of people. New treatments are needed to help those left behind. In Alberta, this represents tens of thousands of people. These are your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family. It may even be you. Without effective treatment, depression keeps going about its dark business, colouring every aspect of a persons life.

So, what can we do to fight it? Over the past few years there have been no truly novel medications put into practice. Developing a new medication takes decades and billions of dollars. There is hope in a next generation technology, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS. TMS uses rapidly changing magnetic fields to make brain cells in a target area get to work.

I first became aware of it at a conference. One of the first devices was there and scientists had gathered around to see how it works. We took turns using it to activate the part of the brain that controls arm muscles, making our arms twitch. The machine would tell those brain cells to fire. Scientists working in neurology and neurobiology immediately saw its potential. If it could put brain cells to work, it could change function in the brain helping people suffering from all sorts of disorders.

In TMS for depression, we target a part of your brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for regulating your emotions, acting as the boss of the rest of the brain. Everything that makes you a viable adult, a good partner, employer/employee, friend, parent is affected by how this piece of brain functions. It is one of the last parts of your brain to develop, not finishing until your late twenties or early thirties. Its development can be affected by your environment your life helps instruct how to wire the brain.

In depression in both adults and teens, this part of the brain is not doing its job so well. It is on a different developmental trajectory, one that changes its structure, function, and chemistry.

TMS for depression targets this part of the brain. Unlike medications, which go from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, TMS activates an area about the size of a quarter near the surface of the brain helping those cells get back to work. It like after knee surgery, when a person has to do rehabilitation exercises to get it working again. TMS, by being repeated over weeks, helps to teach those parts of the brain to take control over your emotions again.

TMS, when done right, has a strong track record of helping people who havent responded to front line treatments. In the United States, TMS is widely available. In Canada, Ontario has done some pioneering work and other jurisdictions are adopting this technology.

TMS is safe and well tolerated. In our work with kids with depression and Adam Kirtons work with kids with strokes, the kids rank it less fun than a birthday party, better than the dentist, and about the same as a long car ride with their parents. I have seen kids go back to school, reengage with friends and family get back to living.

Studies are showing its promise in other areas treating anxiety disorders, stroke, concussion, Tourettes syndrome, autism, and beyond.

Brain stimulation represents the future of mental health research and treatment. We are moving away from clinical intuition to something deeply rooted in the biological evidence that both supports a treatment and why it works. I love the Mental Health Foundations slogan, a better future in mind. It connects with what TMS has to offer. We have the chance to act right now to help build a better future for tens of thousands of people in Alberta, and to set an example for the rest of the province and Canada by embracing next generation technology that can help improve and even save lives.

**Frank MacMaster is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Paediatrics at the University of Calgary and the Scientific Director for the Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network in Alberta Health Services. His research is focused on using brain imaging to identify targets and predictors of treatment response to brain stimulation in pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and Tourettes syndrome.

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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Fighting Depression - Beliefnet

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FAQ Neurotechnology Innovations Translator

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What happens at NIT?

This.

Why is NIT called a translator?

NIT is a Translator, focused on the translation of neurotechnology innovations from the lab to patients and the marketplace. We refer to NIT as a Translator, because it is fundamentally different from other types of programs. NIT is not an incubator; not an accelerator; not a venture capital firm; not a contract manufacturing house; not a clinical trialing organization.per se.Instead, NIT brings the best of what each of these other entities has tried to deliver, comprehensively, under one translational Center, borrowing their best attributes, but transforming them into an entity that provides a cocoon for your companys success in todays challenging landscape.

In stark contrast to other models, NIT holds ready investment capital for investment in early and advanced stages of your companys development. NIT focuses on a select number of high-quality, venture-fundable, commercially-oriented companies. NIT sources projects globally, while also having access to a rich pipeline of innovation. And, NIT leverages a robust infrastructure of on-site and nearby resources from already-committed Partners. The result: a comprehensive solution, providing the expertise, resources, and capital to propel your company from concept-to-clinic, and subsequently to commercial success.

What types of companies is NIT seeking?

NIT will develop a select number of high-quality, venture-fundable, commercially-oriented companies focused on neurotechnology innovation. NIT companies will be carefully chosen, funded, and nurtured within the NIT ecosystem only if they: (1) demonstrate a sufficient level of scientific validation and mitigation (or manageability) of technical risks; (2) target a clear unmet clinical need; and (3) carry the force of a market imperative with a well-focused business plan and model that meet private venture capital funding criteria. The mix of NIT companies chosen will include neurotechnology innovations that are both Dare-To-Dream projects, as well as Better, Faster, Cheaper solutions to improve patient care.

How can our innovation be considered for NIT investment?

Wed love to hear from you. Contact us.

Does NIT have dedicated funds?

Yes, NIT has capital ready to fund your company--not just to get your company started, but to propel your company forward in each development and investment stage. Whether seeding your company, leading, or joining an investment syndicate, NIT offers dedicated strategic investment funds, as well as available capital resources from a variety of Partners including Ohio Third Frontier and The Ohio State University. NIT can invest alone or as part of a syndicate to ensure your company is adequately capitalized.

How much does NIT invest?

NIT has no set expectations for funding levels either in a given round, or over the life of a company. The amount of money a prospective NIT Company may receive from NIT is driven by the business needs and specifics of a companys operating plans and objectives. We may invest as little as $250k, or as much as $10M, depending upon the projects specific needs.

We only have an idea for an innovation. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Of course! Whether an idea on a napkin, or a more mature and established neurotechnology company that is further along in the development pathway, NIT is seeking the best innovations in neurotechnology, regardless of stage or origin. NIT could be the perfect ecosystem for taking your idea and translating it from concept-to-clinic.Wed love to hear from you.

We've already been working on our startup for a while. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Yes.Whether NIT is seeding a company, NIT is leading an investment, or NIT is joining an investment syndicate, provided your company can capitalize on the resources and ecosystem that we have to offer, we are interested. NIT has dedicated strategic investment funds, as well as available capital resources from a variety of Partners including Ohio Third Frontier and The Ohio State University for investment in your startup.

We've already taken some funding. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Sure. As mentioned above, whether NIT is seeding a company, NIT is leading an investment, or NIT is joining an investment syndicate, provided your company can capitalize on the resources and ecosystem that we have to offer, we are interested. We can probably help any startup that hasn't already raised an inordinate amount of capital, (e.g. already entering a third investment round from institutional investors). If you are unsure, contact us and we will let you know directly.

Will NIT syndicate alongside other investors and co-invest?

Yes, absolutely. Provided, however, that a company would significantly benefit from NITs resources and ecosystem for its development pathway.

We need investment capital, but already have all the resources we need. Is NIT appropriate for us?

NIT is not a venture capital firm. The capital NIT invests is only a small part of what NIT brings from its ecosystem for company development. If all that your company needs is investment capital, it is likely not a fit for NIT.

Will NIT invest in a company that is not in Ohio?

No. Your company might be able to leave a few employees at home, but the company needs to be headquartered in Ohio to attract NITs resources and investment capital. NIT and Ohio offer so much to companies, that unless your company is located within this ecosystem, it would likely not benefit from all the resources that NIT might bring.

Do we have to start a company in the US for you to invest in us?

No, not necessarily. NIT seeks projects from around the globe. If you've started your company outside the US (or outside of Ohio for that matter), and are interested in relocating to Ohio to tap into the NIT ecosystem, we would love to hear from you.

Do we have to work with your Partners?

No, not necessarily. NITs broad Partner ecosystem is there to help your company. We wouldnt expect your company to need all of themnor would we demand that you have to work with any specific Partner. That said, of course we would want to ensure that your company would sufficiently benefit from NITs resources and ecosystem for its development pathway to make the investment mutually beneficial.

What if we have a conflict with one of the NIT Partners?

NITs Partners are there for your company as needed. As a private entity, NIT is wholly separated. So, NIT can work independently with your company without any exposure to any particular Partner, as necessary.

Does our company need to use NITs facility?

Not necessarily. While NIT offers substantial space, facilities, and onsite resources, NIT Companies can locate anywhere within Ohio that is most conducive to their success.Some may reside initially within the NIT Center itself, some may be established elsewhere within Ohio, depending upon their specific needs and capabilities. Eventually your company will leave the facility in any respect, and matriculate outside and beyond NIT, within Ohio, as you reach your milestones and are funded as a fully independent company.

Will NIT sign an NDA?

No, NIT won't typically sign an NDA. Like a venture capital firm, we review far too many projects to sign NDAs, and believe that most of our exploratory conversations can be held without any exchange of sensitive proprietary information. And, as an experienced entrepreneur, you appreciate the relatively limited value of the idea itself, relative to the long path to execution that lies ahead for your company.

Is NIT hiring?

For a list of available opportunities at NIT or one of NITs Companies, click here.

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FAQ Neurotechnology Innovations Translator

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Rythm Accelerates Sleep Research and Neurotechnology Efforts With a Prestigious Scientific Advisory Board and … – PR Newswire (press release)

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The newly announced scientific board includes David Eagleman, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience, Stanford University, Founder & CSO, BrainCheck, and cofounder & CSO, NeoSensory; Christof Koch, PhD, CSO & President of Allen Institute for Brain Science; Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD, Director of Stanford Sleep Center; and Cedric Villani, PhD, winner of the 2010 Fields Medal and Director of Henri Poincarr Institute. These experts will help Rythm define its research strategy, encompassing sleep diagnosis, treatment, improvement, and understanding of the human brain.

The human brain is the most complex organ in the known universe, and understanding the brain and sleep are among the biggest scientific challenges of the century. One-third of the population does not sleep well or sufficiently long. Currently, there are no obvious solutions to this epidemic. However, international research in neuroscience and Rythm are at the forefront of developing non-invasive solutions that are accurate and effective. The company is tackling multiple, ambitious challenges at the nexus of multiple disciplines: medicine, neurosciences, and mathematics. In forming a board, Rythm successfully sought to attract the best-of-the-best from across disciplines who are aligned with the company's mission and vision.

"The brain is the most complex system known today, and within that field of study, sleep is a new domain that presents a variety of complex problems and solutions," said Hugo Mercier, CEO & Co-founder at Rythm. "The diversity of fields, experience, and intellect that the members of our board bring will help Rythm unlock major challenges and pursue the right research directions."

David Eagleman is a professor at Stanford University in the department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, known for his work on brain plasticity, time perception, synesthesia, and neurolaw. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Science and Law. He is a Guggenheim Fellow, a council member in the World Economic Forum, and a popular TED speaker. He has launched two companies from his laboratory: NeoSensory and BrainCheck. He is a New York Times bestselling author published in 31 languages and is the writer and creator of the Emmy-nominated TV series, The Brain with David Eagleman. He is a renowned scientist with articles in all the major academic journals and profiles in national magazines such as the New Yorker. He is a regular commenter on national television and radio.

"We don't yet fully understand why we sleep and dream, but we're aware that it's related to the consolidation of learning and memory," said Eagleman. "I am excited to work with Rythm to better unmask the mysteries and nuances of sleep state, and to be able to leverage that understanding to improve lives. Inadequate sleep prevents people from reaching their full potential. The improvement of sleep opens the hope of functioning at a more optimized mental performance."

Christof Koch is a physicist turned neuroscientist serving as the President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. He is leading a team of 300 scientists, engineers and staff engaged in a ten-year project that aims to understand the building blocks of the mammalian brain. Koch previously served as a professor at the California Institute of Technology for nearly 30 years, specializing in the biophysics of the brain and the neural bases of consciousness, and has been influential in arguing that consciousness can be approached using the modern tools of neurobiology. As a member of Rythm's board, Koch will contribute his neuroscientific expertise on how sleep relates to the brain and its electrical behavior in health and disease.

"We have so much more to learn about the relationship that sleep has to the functioning of our brains and our health," said Koch. "Working with Rythm is an opportunity to bring academia together with the development of consumer products so that sleep research can become practicable."

Emmanuel Mignot is the Craig Reynolds Professor of Sleep Medicine at Stanford Medical School and the Director of the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine. He is a recognized authority on sleep research and medicine, known primarily for his work on narcolepsy. He is a member of the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine and has received numerous research grants and honors, including National Institute of Health Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and McKnight Neuroscience awards. He is the co-author of more than 200 original scientific publications, and serves on the editorial board of scientific journals in the field of sleep and biology research. He formerly served as the president of the Sleep Research society, chair of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research advisory board of the National institutes of Health, and chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Institute of Mental Health.

"I've always been intrigued by the enigma of sleep and devoted my career to studying sleep disorders," said Mignot. "With the rapid growth of portable technology, biology and analytics, it is an exciting time for sleep, with plenty of opportunities to increase well-being. Rythm is bringing together people spanning multiple fields of science and technology to push forward our understanding of sleep and improve the diagnosis of sleep disorders. I look forward to contributing my knowledge and working with Rythm to help realize this vision."

Cedric Villani is one of the world's most famous mathematicians who was awarded the Fields Medal, the world's most prestigious math award, in 2010. Currently, he is a professor at the University of Lyon and serves as the director of Pierre and Marie Curie University 's Institut Henri Poincar. Villani's work focuses on partial differential equations, Riemannian geometry and mathematical physics. He received the Fields Medal for his work on Landau damping and the Boltzmann equation. He is also a well-known author and speaker, renowned for his passionate ability to make math exciting and accessible.

Villani's expertise on computational mathematics and machine learning will be a valuable asset to Rythm because both areas are critical to the understanding of sleep and the brain. Until recently, machine learning mimicked brain functions, but now the new frontier is to understand how the brain works, and sleep represents an ideal entry door.

This world class team serves as a validation of all the important work Rythm has done since 2014. The company is leveraging advancements in neuroscience, neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, and mathematics to propel sleep research and medicine forward and bring a real sleep solution to the market. This unique solution will introduce a whole new category of product that is efficient but non-invasive, and this demands a strong research effort and the development of sophisticated technology. The board is not only working with Rythm on diagnosis and treatment, but also to help build the product that will launch in Summer 2017.

About Rythm

Rythm is a leading neurotechnology company. Bringing together the world's foremost experts in hardware, software, and neuroscience, Rythm builds consumer technology that stimulates brain function to enhance individual health and performance. The company's first product, Dreem, is sleep solution that uses brain activity and sound stimulation to increase the quality of sleep in a non-invasive way. Based in Paris and San Francisco, Rythm has raised substantial funding from investors, awards and government grants to support a world-class team of more than 70 people. For more information, visit http://www.dreem.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rythm-accelerates-sleep-research-and-neurotechnology-efforts-with-a-prestigious-scientific-advisory-board-and-advances-in-the-ai-xprize-competition-300456427.html

SOURCE Rythm

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Rythm Accelerates Sleep Research and Neurotechnology Efforts With a Prestigious Scientific Advisory Board and ... - PR Newswire (press release)

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DeLand family makes strides to cure CF; Volusia County Great Strides walk on May 20 – The West Volusia Beacon

Posted: at 5:55 am

A DeLand family that has been working for years to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis has been featured on the national Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website as Homepage Heros.

Photos taken at Stetson University of Missy and Mike Woods and their children, Ainsley and Tobin, accompany the online article about the familys involvement in the CF community and their journey with the disease. Tobin Woods, 3, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 2 weeks old.

Mike Woods is on the board of the Central Florida chapter of the CF Foundation.

CF is an orphan disease, in that it impacts a very small portion of the population, he said, noting that a cure is within reach. That cure is within the foreseeable future next 10 to 20 years.

For the fourth year, the family will be participating in the Volusia County Great Strides walk at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 20, in Daytona Beach. The Tobins 200 team has a goal of 200 walkers and $10,000 for the CF Foundation. To date, $7,060 had been raised.

In 2016, the Tobins 200 team was recognised as Top Team Fundraiser at the VC Great Strides walk, for the second year in a row.

The family also has a team for the CF Cycle for Life. Tobins Two-Wheelers will ride through Central Florida Oct. 1 to raise funds for research.

We are so grateful to our amazing friends and family who come together every year to help us get closer to the cure, the Woods family wrote on the Tobins 200 team page.

Read the Homepage Heros interview at http://www.goo.gl/fnS2jJ. To donate to or walk with the Woods Great Strides team, visit http://www.goo.gl/oXhwna.

- A. Janell Williams,janell@beacononlinenews.com

Ilnur Zakarin’s Canyon Ultimate CF SLX – Gallery – Cyclingnews.com

Posted: at 5:55 am

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