Off to Princeton to participate in a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation meeting on Connecting Revolutions in Neuroscience with Health and Health Care tomorrow. We'll be engaged in a series of highly iterative, forward-looking discussions that will culminate in a wrap-up that integrates the thinking across neurotechnology, neuroscience and behavioral health and outlines connections and implications for the future of health and health care. Should be interesting!

Floyd Bloom and team have done all of us a service with this extensively researched and well thought out analysis. I'm using the findings right now on a new piece of legislation in development. Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications makes 17 recommendations that focus on utilizing current scientific research and development initiatives to improve performance and efficiency, collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to employ neuropharmaceuticals for general sustainment or enhancement of soldier performance, and improving cognitive and behavioral performance using interdisciplinary approaches and technological investments. An essential guide for the Army, this book will also be of interest to other branches of military, national security and intelligence agencies, academic and commercial researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and others interested in applying the rapid advances in neuroscience to the performance of individual and group tasks.

This reports really represents the economic geographer in me wondering how the neurotech industry is developing across space. After months of data collection, writing and analysis here are the results. Go to the NIO website to download the 100 page report.

According to NeuroInsights and NIO, the top nine neurotech regions with composite scores are:
1. San Francisco Bay Area, CA (100)
2. Greater Boston, MA (98)
3. New York/New Jersey (91)
4. London, United Kingdom (84)
5. San Diego, CA (83)
6. Los Angeles/Irvine, CA (81)
7. Baltimore, MD (69)
8. Greater Philadelphia, PA (66)
9. Minneapolis, MN (53)

Other regions supporting neurotech innovation include nascent clusters (Montreal, Canada; Basel/Zurich, Switzerland; Tel Aviv, Israel; Seattle, WA; Stockholm, Sweden; Tokyo, Japan) as well as regions to watch (Munich, Germany; New Haven, CT; Chicago, IL; Shanghai, China, Cleveland, OH and Raleigh/Durham, NC).

The rankings are based on three broad factors: number of neuroscience-focused companies, availability of local risk capital and social infrastructure (universities, hospitals, research institutes). The San Francisco Bay Area ranked first in number of companies and risk capital, while Boston ranked first in social infrastructure.

Data gathered for the report also reveals several other interesting regional trends. New York/New Jersey is the leading region for public neurotechnology companies. Boston, MA and Baltimore/Washington D.C. are the leading regions for neurotechnology social infrastructure based on strong graduate programs and hospital rankings in neuroscience related areas. The San Francisco Bay Area, Minneapolis, MN and Cleveland, OH are major centers for neurodevice development.

A special thanks to Corey M. McCann, our bright and diligent intern for all his hard work on this project!

From prefix to adjective and now David Brooks makes "the Neuro" a noun. The meme lives.

The Neurotech Development Foundation is organizing a Translational Neurotech Summit on May 18, 2010. This one day gathering of scientists, entrepreneurs, executives and investors will be held coordination with The 5th annual Neurotech Investing and Partnering Conference May 19-20, 2010. The goal of the summit is to facilitate the movement of promising neurotechnology (pharmaceuticals, biologics, cell-based therapeutics, devices and diagnostics) from universities, government labs and research institutes into the private sector.

CALL FOR SPEAKERS
Showcase your translational research project to potential investors and partners:
* Cutting edge research projects ready for investment or hand off to industry (preclinical or clinical)
* Pharmaceuticals, biologics, cell therapies, devices, and diagnostics
* Presenter abstracts accepted from October 1 through January 5, 2010
* Presenters notified by February 15 and coached on presentation, partnering, and start-up strategy
* Presentations selected based on quality of research, interest to industry, and fit with program
* Presentations will be 10 minutes plus Q&A with session panel

The summit will feature the top researchers from across translational neuroscience including Alzheimer's, addiction, ALS, anxiety, depressive disorders, epilepsy, migraine, mild cognitive impairment, Huntington's, multiple sclerosis, obesity, pain, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, age-related macular degeneration, sensory disorders, sleep disorders, and stroke. Download Fillable Presenter Submission Form

Steering Committee:
-Casey Lynch, Managing Director, NeuroInsights & President, Neurotech Development Foundation
-Frank Eeckman, MD, PhD Consultant, NeuroInsights
-Jill Heemskerk, PhD, Program Director, Office of Translational Research, NINDS/NIH
-Charles Jennings, PhD, Director of McGovern Institute Neurotechnology Program, MIT
-Zack Lynch, Executive Director, Neurotechnology Industry Organization
-Dan O'Connell, Managing Director, NeuroVentures Capital
-Gail Schechter, PhD, Director Center for Bioentrepreneurship at UCSF
-Paul Stypulkowski, PhD, Senior Director Research, Medtronic
-Guy Seabrook, PhD, Senior Director, Neuroscience Global External Research &
Development, Eli Lilly

The summit is hosted by the Neurotechnology Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to accelerate the development of treatments for the brain and nervous system by promoting translation of basic research.

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have joined forces to publish "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women" which was released earlier this month. I just ordered my copy. Here is their reasoning why.

IN THE 19TH CENTURY, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. In this century, it is the brutality inflicted on so many women and girls around the globe: sex trafficking, acid attacks, bride burnings and mass rape.

Yet if the injustices that women in poor countries suffer are of paramount importance, in an economic and geopolitical sense the opportunity they represent is even greater. “Women hold up half the sky,” in the words of a Chinese saying, yet that’s mostly an aspiration: in a large slice of the world, girls are uneducated and women marginalized, and it’s not an accident that those same countries are disproportionately mired in poverty and riven by fundamentalism and chaos. There’s a growing recognition among everyone from the World Bank to the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to aid organizations like CARE that focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism. That’s why foreign aid is increasingly directed to women. The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution."

A few weeks ago I participated in a day long discussion at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto around the topic of When Everything is Programmable. Lots of very interesting scenarios and viewpoints were shared. For my part, I stuck to the theme of our emerging neurosociety. Towards the end of the day each of us were asked to write up a 10 year scenario focused on our area of expertise. Jake Dunagan, IFTF's Director of Technology Horizons Program and fellow neurofuturist joined me in sketching out this scenario which touches on a whole set of emerging issues. This is not meant to be comprehensive, more so a quick sketch we put together in 45 minutes.

September 13, 2019 President Signs NINA (Neuro Information Nondiscrimination Act)

Inspired by the GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) legislation passed in 2008, NINA might include areas such as:

-Explicit right to cognitive liberty, brain privacy
-Bans discrimination in hiring based on neuroimaging profile
-Bans all local, state 'drug vaccine' programs
-Bans 'neuroprofiling' for travel and attendance at public events
-Subsidizes accelerated learning with neuroenablement technologies
-Legalizes use of neuroenablers
-Bans denial of health coverage based on neuroprofile
-Bans cosmetic memory erasure

The scenario is being accelerated by the development of more sophisticated imaging technologies, neuroinformatic analysis algorithms, neurofeedback technologies, research into neuroplasticity, drug vaccine, neuropharma and neurodevice R&D.

The reason this scenario was seen as important to sketch out was that right now we have a whole host of technologies that are emerging without an effective policy infrastructure. There will be severe unintended consequences as technologies accelerate across a wide variety of enabling disciplines and national governments may eventually need to step in to protect their populations and their basic human rights.

Big brain thinkers are aggregating in Berlin over next few days for the Decade of the Mind V Conference. The three themes are Education (how neuroscience can aid educational research and policy); Social Policy (how neuroeconomics can inform public policy); and Health (neurotech developments for brain related illness).

In Chapter Nine, Perception Shift, we explore the societal implications of a time when people across all walks of life intentionally choose to use neurotechnologies to influence their mood, senses and memories. By subtly influencing one's mental self - improving cognitive clarity, extending physical sensations, expanding emotional well being - we will ultimately begin to change how we perceive daily events. In short, society will experience a perception shift. There are profound ethical, legal and societal issues with moving down this pathway, but it does indeed seem like this is a likely path that many may take as we travel deeper into the emerging neurosociety.

A recent article in the Prospect written by David Edmonds, The Age of Enhancement, highlights the complexities that arise when considering the societal impact of conscious mental enhancement, "At the heart of the debate there remains unease about tampering with the very things that make humans human. And while we are becoming accustomed to some varieties of enhancement, our capacity to manipulate not just our bodies and our cognitive faculties, but potentially also our core emotions, is taking us into a world of dizzyingly new options."

In chapter 4, Finance with Feelings, I talk about the emergence of neurosoftware applications that leverage neuroeconomic research into decision making to improve our understanding of individual economic behavior and the vicissitudes of financial markets. As with each previous revolution, the financial sector adopts the latest innovations to improve capital efficiency. The Neuro Revolution is no different. In response to requests to emails from people looking for more info on software that could help them "understand how their emotions influence their decisions" or "tame their emotions" I'm writing this brief neurofinance post.

Realize that these applications are just beginning to be developed. The more sophisticated work is still being carried out in the research labs of people like Andrew Lo, Dmitry Repin, Xiao-Jing Wang, Paul Zak and others. If you are serious, then I'd highly recommend attending the upcoming Society for Neuroeconomics meeting Sept. 27-29 in Evanston, Illinois to get insights into cutting edge research. Richard Peterson, whose story I describe in detail in the book founded a $50M hedge fund, MarketPsy Capital, that uses special emotion detecting algorithms to help time trades.

Evidence of the evolution of these neurofinancial software applications is everywhere. Sunday's NYTimes carried a story, Mining the Web for Feelings no Facts, that discussed several companies developing "sentiment analysis" systems. Perhaps more interesting was Monday's WSJ article "The Mistakes We Make - and Why We Make Them" which is loaded with basic ideas for neurofinancial applications. In the article, Mr. Statman, a professor at Santa Clara University points out eights ways to avoid the cognitive and emotion errors that lead to poor investing. One clear theme throughout his musings is that "regret" plays a pivotal role many of our worst mistakes. Also, here is a post I wrote in 2003 with some oldies but still undeveloped goodies.

So the bottom line is this: the future isn't here yet, go invent it.

h+ Magazine reviewed The Neuro Revolution and published an interview with me. My favorite line from the review, "This is a thought-provoking and important read that deserves a wide audience." And from the interview, "Through neurotechnology we can possibly accelerate peoples' senses of themselves and their relationship to their higher being."

In his review of The Neuro Revolution by Zack Lynch, Michael F. Huerta compliments the animated style Lynch uses to describe how our understanding of the brain and newfound ability to affect it via drugs and technology are changing our lives and our societies. Lynch’s predictions for the future are both exciting and within the realm of scientific possibility.

Michael Huerta just wrote a wonderful review of The Neuro Revolution for Cerebrum published by the Dana Foundation. I've excerpted a few of his insights here, but I recommend reading the whole review, Our Neurotech Future.

Michael F. Huerta, Ph.D., is the associate director for scientific technology research at the NIMH and leads neuroscience and neurotechnology programs and initiatives at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He directs the NIH’s Human Connectome Project, the National Database for Autism Research and the Office of Cross-Cutting Science and co-chairs the coordinating committee of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research.

"Technology’s potential to improve—or to imperil—our lives and our societies lies at the center of this entertaining and thought-provoking book by Zack Lynch, founder and executive director of the Neurotechnology Industry Organization.

Written for a lay audience, The Neuro Revolution begins with Lynch’s description of his first bungee jump, from the canopy of a lush rain forest, followed by a shock of pain from an injured spine when his second jump went awry. The experience inspired him to explore neuroscience and neurotechnology (Lynch defines the latter as “the tools we use to understand and influence our brain and nervous system”). With prose that is at times clever and quirky but never dull, Lynch discusses how our understanding of the human brain—as well as our ability to influence it—may shape the future of law, commerce, art, warfare and religion.

Along the way, we read stories of discovery and invention set in a variety of contexts and disciplines. Lynch’s anecdotes illustrate how the findings and technologies of brain science might alter society. He supports his stories and personal musings with references to reader-friendly articles and books; comments and insights from scientists, artists, ethicists and other experts; and historical facts that help the reader appreciate the full trajectory of a discovery.

... Lynch describes this and other neurotechnologies with characteristic zeal and animation without wandering too far from rigorous scientific interpretation. This is a difficult balance to achieve.
...Given the broad perspective Lynch takes in this book, readers may argue that he should have addressed additional technologies, neuroscience findings and ethical or legal implications more thoroughly. However, suggesting that additional points could be made or that topics could be explored further is more an acknowledgement of the richness and import of Lynch’s subject matter than a criticism of what this slim book offers.
...The Neuro Revolution is a timely and approachable introduction to the power of neuroscience and neurotechnology to shape our world, inside and out.

The University of Pennsylvania has a very rich tradition in the brain sciences. In 1953, Penn founded the nation’s first university-wide institute devoted exclusively to neuroscience research, the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences. Since then, Penn has developed multiple communities to support some of the world’s leading neuroscience research, including the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, the Center for Functional Neuroimaging and the Penn Comprehensive Neuroscience Center. Last year Penn announced plans to build a new Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building and has launched a $50 million initiative to recruit Penn Integrates Knowledge professors who take an interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience.

Yesterday, UPenn took another broad step into the future by announcing the founding of the Penn Center for Neuroscience and Society. The Center is cross-disciplinary endeavor to increase understanding of the impact of neuroscience on society through research and teaching and to encourage the responsible use of neuroscience for the benefit of humanity. The reach of the CNS will extend beyond academia and engage policy makers, advocacy groups, industry and professionals in the full range of fields affected by progress in neuroscience such as business, the military, law and education.

In an email yesterday, Martha Farah, Director of the CNS, described the aims of the center as being "very much aligned with the aims of your organization [NIO], and the social and historical perspective you present in your excellent new book are also very consistent with ours. So, I welcome your participation as we embark on the mission of the Center: to increase understanding of the impact of neuroscience on society."

Not only does the Center's development underscore the continuing evolution of The Neuro Revolution but it also supports our case up on Capitol Hill as we lobby Congress to pass the National Neurotechnology Initiative Act which contains over $10M/year in neuroethics related research funding.

In his commentary Brave Neuro World Paul McFedries at IEEE Spectrum highlights how "the term neuro made the leap from prefix to adjective recently with the publication last month of The Neuro Revolution."

As you can imagine, we thought long and hard about the title for the book. Years back I considered Brain Wave (a play on the physical phenomenon, the patterns of historical techno-economic waves, and the close association with the name of this blog). Obviously, The Neuro Revolution won for multitude of reasons, one of them being the desire to raise "neuro" to a new status.

The prefix to adjective shift is of monumental significance. Neuro refers to more than just the ways that neuroscience and neurotechnologies will drive social, economic and political developments but also to the many new ways of viewing, understanding and existing that will emerge as we assimilate neuro-derived and inspired tools and practices into our lives throughout the 21st century. This is similar to how the adjectives Industrial and Information placed before Revolution connoted much greater meaning than a type of technology or science.

At all of my discussions over the two last week in DC, NYC, Boston, Palo Alto, San Francisco, I continually shared that the primary reason for writing the book was to spark an ongoing broad public dialogue about how brain science, neurotechnology and new ways of viewing situations will transform nearly every aspect of human life - from law enforcement to the financial markets, to marketing, art, entertainment, religion, warfare and even what it means to be human.

I was heartened a few days after my talk at MIT, attended by over 100 neuroscientists, that it generated enough interest in the societal implications of their research that they are already working on a follow on series focused on emerging issues.

While there is already a burgeoning neuroethics community, it is time to expand the community. Given the extraordinary changes coming, it must begin to include people from all walks of life, yet another reason to write a book less laden in terminology and more focused on story and human interest. Let the conversations grow!

My book, The Neuro Revolution: How Brain Science Is Changing Our World is now in book stores and Amazon. Book overview:

History has already progressed through an agricultural revolution, an industrial revolution, and an information revolution. The Neuro Revolution foretells a fast approaching fourth epoch, one that will radically transform how we all work, live and play.

Neurotechnology - brain imaging and other new tools for both understanding and influencing our brains - is accelerating the pace of change almost everywhere, from financial markets to law enforcement to politics to advertising and marketing, artistic expression, warfare, and even religious belief.

The Neuro Revolution introduces you to the brilliant people leading this worldwide transformation, taking you into their laboratories, boardrooms and courtrooms for a unique, insider's glimpse into the startling future now appearing at our doorstep. From foolproof lie detectors to sure-fire investment strategies to super-enhanced religious and aesthetic experiences, the insights and revelations within The Neuro Revolution will foster wonder, debate, and in some cases consternation. Above all, though, they need to be understood by those who will be most affected - all of us.

We had a great book launched party last night at Foreign Cinema in San Francisco and it's now at book stores, Amazon, etc.

The National Institutes of Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, a program targeted for additional federal support in the National Neurotechnology Initiative, is launching a $30 million project that will use cutting-edge brain imaging technologies to map the circuitry of the healthy adult human brain. By systematically collecting brain imaging data from hundreds of subjects, the Human Connectome Project (HCP) will yield insight into how brain connections underlie brain function. This project will be viewed in time as sparking the development of many important innovations that will help accelerate the the Neuro Revolution.

Three imaging techniques that will be used to carry out the HCP may include: (1)High angular resolution diffusion imaging with magnetic resonance (HARDI), which detects the diffusion of water along fibrous tissue, and can be used to visualize axon bundles. (2) Resting state fMRI (R-fMRI), which detects fluctuations in brain activity while a person is at rest, and can be used to look for coordinated networks within the brain. (3) Electrophysiology and magnetoencephalography (MEG) combined with fMRI (E/M fMRI), which adds information about the brain's electrical activity to the fMRI signal. In this procedure, the person performs a task so that the brain regions associated with that task become active. Since this is the first time that researchers will combine these brain imaging technologies to systematically map the brain's connections, the HCP will support development of new data models, informatics and analytic tools to help researchers make the most of the data.

In chapter two, The Witness on Your Shoulders of The Neuro Revolution, I focus on the emerging field of neurolaw. It's an extraordinarily interesting and provocative area of research that will continue the evolve rapidly in the coming years as new techniques and technologies emerge to help us peer more effectively into the brain as it contemplates ideas, such as lying or telling the truth. Which brings me to the purpose of this blog post.

There has recently been some exciting press around the Josh Greene's work around using fMRI for the purposes of lie detection and the continue skepticism surrounding its use here. As Time's Adi Narayan succinctly put it, "On an fMRI image, at least, the lying brain may look no different from one that's simply contemplating whether to lie."

So with today's technology I would agree, yet, as I argue throughout the book and have discussed here many times, major technological revolutions begin with a 15 year period of technological transformation. During these periods of rapid innovation new tools emerge that radically surpass what was previously believed to be possible. We are only just entering this period. So just because current imaging techniques appear to weak at being able detect deception, don't let this fool us. We must continue to think through the ethical, legal and societal implications of truth detection technologies, because they will emerge, and will transform our system of jurisprudence in many, many ways.

The book is finally coming out this weekend! Here are a few places where I'll be speaking over the next couple of weeks. Come out and join the dialogue. More tour information here.

July 21, 7pm Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
July 23, 6-8pm, SF Book Launch Party, Foreign Cinema, SF, CA
July 27, 7pm, Borders, 1801 K Street, Washington D.C.
July 28, 3-5pm, Capitol Hill, Capitol Visitors Center, Senate Rooms, D.C.
July 29, 6-8 pm, NYC Book Launch Party, Scuderia, NY, NY
July 30, 12:00pm, MIT, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Boston, MA
July 30, 7pm, Barnes & Noble, Burlington, MA
Aug. 3, 7pm, Books Inc., Palo Alto, CA

If you are London today check out UCL's Law and Neuroscience Colloquium happening July 6-7.

The upcoming Law and Neuroscience conference will focus on how our growing understanding of the human brain and its impact on the legal system. Hosted by London School of Economics' Nikolas Rose the event will take place October 26-31 at the stunning Hotel Villa del Mare, Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy

Conference topics:
* legal and societal impact of recent neurobiological research on aggression, impulsivity and anti social conduct;
* impact of brain imaging technologies on the criminal justice system;
* impact of neuroscience on criminal responsibility, sentencing and punishment;
* evidence from current cases in criminal and civil law on the impact of neuroscience on witness credibility and the rules of evidence;
* problems, possibilities and perils of neuroscience based lie detection;
* implications of use of neuroscience for screening, risk prediction and preventive interventions;
* challenges to law and regulation in Europe posed by the neurosciences.

Looks like an important gathering that will surely influence the development of The Neuro Revolution. I'm going to see if I can get over there.

The Neuro Revolution: How Brain Science is Changing Our World Zack Lynch with Byron Laursen. St. Martin’s, $25.95 (256p) ISBN 9780312378622

Neuroscience entrepreneur Lynch, founder of a global trade association and a market research firm, is a futurologist with his feet on the ground. After an eight-year struggle to diagnose a painful back injury, Lynch's condition was pinpointed by a full-body MRI scan; the experience convinced him that emerging tools will improve our “control over the mental environment” in the same way we've managed the physical environment. Examining emerging tech, Lynch reports on lie detectors like a portable system for rapidly scanning and detecting involuntary facial tics, and a developing method called “brain fingerprinting.” Emerging marketing techniques include functional MRI scanners for focus groups, allowing researchers to look directly at the brain of the subject, rather than depend on verbal responses. Lynch predicts that brain scan information will improve performance, and may become vital to professionals like stock brokers and specialized military forces; he also sees mental face-lifts attaining the popularity of cosmetic surgery. The exciting news is tampered by warnings that such devices could also be used for “cultural or economic bondage.” Lynch is passionate, knowledgeable and fully engaged with the world of neurotechnology, and his overview makes absorbing material. (July)

Here is the 45 minute follow up debate. Poor title, we should have discussed neurodevices in depth but there only so much time and bandwidth.

Enjoy this 15 minute interview!

Adaptation of pacemaker technology has led to major advances in neurodevice development, allowing for stimulation of discrete brain areas and nerves for the treatment of Parkinson’s, essential tremor, epilepsy, and even obsessive–compulsive disorder. Novel device platforms for neuromodulation will allow for less invasive and more responsive therapies in the future.

Optogenetics, for example, is an emerging field combining optics and genetics to probe neural circuits on the millisecond time scale. In early development, delivery of genes tied to cell-specific promoters has been used to make certain neurons light sensitive. Then highly targeted light-emitting hardware such as fiberoptics is used to activate or deactivate that specific cell type. One startup in this area is developing an optogenetic neuromodulation system that may one day enable the blind to see. Leveraging this technology will yield entirely new levels of control over specific cell types in the brain, making it possible to treat illnesses that emerge as a result of malfunctioning neuronal circuits. Another exciting example of the future of neurodevice development relates to the development of conducting polymer nanowires, which will make it possible to monitor and modulate individual brain cells. The wires can be threaded through the circulatory system into the brain, without the need for invasive brain surgery. They do not block normal blood flow or interfere with the exchange of gases and nutrients through the blood vessel walls.

Looking forward, it will be possible to connect an entire array of nanowires to a catheter tube that could then be guided through the circulatory system into the brain. Once there, the wires would branch out into tinier blood vessels until they reached specific locations. Each nanowire would then be used to record the electrical activity of a single nerve cell or small groups of them. Nanowire sensors could greatly improve doctors’ ability to pinpoint damage from injury and stroke, localize the epileptogenic zone(s) of seizures, and detect the presence of tumors and other brain abnormalities. Beyond that, nanowires that could deliver electrical impulses have the potential to transform the entire field of neuromodulation, dramatically expanding the potential scope of treatable conditions. (more in the Neurotech Industry 2009 Report)

If you are in Canada tomorrow evening, watch me on The Agenda at 8pm with Steve Paikin where I'll be talking about my forthcoming book, The Neuro Revolution and neuroenhancement.

Update: Taping still happening today, but Iran is taking center stage tonight, so will be aired at later date. Will update then.

While I spent Monday on a special working group at the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke reimagining the Small Business Innovation Research Program in Rockville, Maryland, Tuesday was full of 10 separate meetings up on Capitol Hill lobbying for the National Neurotechnology Initiative. In the morning I met with the staff of Senators Burr, Greg, Bingaman, and Merkley in their offices while the afternoon was spent talking with Representatives Dingell, Markey, DeGette, Burgess, Sarbanes, and Space. Progress.

Dozens of private companies are currently developing or commercializing neurodrug delivery methods and devices that will bring life to old and new compounds alike. These technologies include:
Implantable devices: Implantable pumps bypass the blood– brain barrier (BBB) and deliver highly accurate amounts of drugs to specific sites in the brain or spinal cord.
Expression systems: A French company is circumventing the BBB using encapsulated cell technology (ECT), a polymer implant containing cells that provide continuous, long-term release of the therapeutic protein to the brain or eye.
Receptor-mediated transport: Receptors that transport nutrients
to the brain from the blood can be tricked into transporting therapeutic chemicals, peptides, and proteins across the BBB. Insulin, transferrin, and lipoproteins, for example, cross the BBB by facilitated transport, and can be combined with therapeutic proteins or other molecules to promote access to the brain [10].
Cell-penetrating peptides: During the past decade, several arginine-rich peptides have been described, such as SynB vectors, which allow for intracellular delivery and BBB transport. The mechanism for this transport is unknown. A Swiss company is using cell-penetrating peptides to develop treatments for stroke and myocardial infarction.
Focused ultrasound: Some research shows that focused ultrasound can temporarily open the BBB in a targeted area for a window of time. A seed stage company is working to commercialize this technology and improve it for use in humans.
Nanoparticle formulations: Nanoparticle formulations refer to
therapeutics encapsulated in nanoscale particles that can pass the BBB. Although there is great interest in using nanotechnology to improve neuropharmaceutical delivery to the brain, it will take some time to overcome challenges of this platform, including the need for intravenous delivery, manufacturing, and clearance by the liver.

Brain and nervous system illnesses are exceptionally difficult to research and diagnose, partly because changes in the local environment of the brain are difficult to assess within the confines of the skull. Although diagnostic tests for diseases like cancer and diabetes are common and can use samples from blood, urine, or tissue, diagnostic tests for many brain-related illnesses are only beginning to emerge.

Neuroimaging is revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of brain-related illness. It is difficult to imagine treating patients with brain tumors, cerebrovascular disorders, or epilepsy without current imaging tools. Several decades of neuroimaging research have contributed enormously to our understanding of structural and functional differences in people with neurological and psychiatric disorders. For example, PET scans have been shown to be 93% accurate in detecting Alzheimer’s disease about 3 years before the conventional diagnosis of ‘‘probable Alzheimer’s”. Imaging now offers
insights into the mechanisms of action of drugs used to treat schizophrenia and the causal mechanisms that may be at the root of many disorders. Diagnosis of mental illness and differential treatment selection is one of the most difficult aspects of psychiatric treatment, yet this is where neuroimaging will add tremendous value in the years ahead.

On the neurofeedback front, Omneuron, a private company, in conjunction with Stanford University, is using real-time functional MRI (rtfMRI) to train patients in pain management techniques by monitoring the ongoing activity of their brains. Within a 13-minute session, patients can learn to control activity in different parts of their brain and alter their sensitivity to painful stimuli, allowing them to better control pain. Patients watched their brain’s level of activity as seen by rtfMRI and were trained to decrease pain intensity through mental exercises, such as focusing on a part of the body where they did not have pain. In years to come, rtfMRI has the potential to add an entirely new treatment option for a whole host of brain-related illnesses including depression, addiction, and dementia.

We have released our fifth annual comprehensive investment guide and market analysis of the global neurological disease and psychiatric illness markets. The 480-page report enables investors, companies and governments to identify opportunities, calculate risks and understand the dynamics of this continually changing market.

Specific findings from The Neurotechnology Industry 2009 Report show that in 2008:

- 2 billion individuals worldwide suffered from a brain-related illness
- Over 550 public and private companies participated in neurotech worldwide
- Venture capital investment in neurotechnology fell 22% to $1.44 billion
- More than 250 venture investors were involved in neurotech financings
- Global neurotech industry revenues rose 9.0% to $144.5 billion
- Neuropharmaceuticals recorded revenues of $121.6 billion and 9.3% annual growth
- Neurodevices recorded revenues of $6.1 billion and 18.6% annual growth
- Neurodiagnostics recorded revenues of $16.8 billion and 3.7% annual growth
- The annual economic burden of brain-related illnesses is over $2 trillion

The Neurotechnology Industry 2009 Report: Drugs, Devices and Diagnostics for the Brain and Nervous System comprehensively tracks pipelines and products in development globally to help guide strategic business development and investment decisions in neurotech.

The 2009 report provides an in-depth look at more than 16 brain and nervous system disorders and treatments in development at over 550 public and private companies, including: Alzheimer's disease, addiction, ADHD, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, migraine, mild cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, obesity, pain, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, age-related macular degeneration, sensory disorders, sleep disorders, stroke and traumatic brain injury. Corporate financing, market activity, growth drivers and global industry conditions that make up the obstacles and opportunities facing the industry are fully assessed with detailed insights.

The brain has extremely limited capabilities to repair itself, but new strategies are emerging to improve the brain’s ability to regenerate lost neurons and to facilitate the incorporation of implanted stem cells into brain circuitry. There are currently at least eight private and three public companies developing neuroregeneration cell transplant therapies. More than $450 million in venture funding has been invested in companies working on cell replacement and stem cell therapies for brain and spinal cord disorders.

There are significant challenges to overcome when considering the use of implanted cells for neurological diseases. For example, inducing a cell to differentiate into a skin cell or a liver cell is likely to be easier than inducing it to form precise connections with another area of the brain. The chemical signals for forming the appropriate connections in the brain may be present only during certain times of development. Additionally, the character and connections of these new cells must be stable. Despite these complexities, stem cell therapies offer the potential for outright cures to some
neurological diseases.

Recently, we have seen progress in bringing these treatments into human trials. A California company has been in clinical testing of fetal stem cells to treat Batten’s disease since 2005 and expects to complete their Phase I study in early 2009. In December 2008, they received FDA approval to begin trials in a second disorder, Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease (PMD), a fatal brain disorder that affects mainly young children. In February 2009, the first embryonic stem cell trial for spinal cord injury treatment was also approved. These are slow and precautious steps, centering on untreatable disorders, but cell-based therapeutic candidates for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke will soon follow.

The journal Epilepsy & Behavior just published an article I wrote for a new section they've introduced on technological approaches to the scientific explorations of epilepsy and behavior. In The Future of Neurotechnology Innovation I review advances across several areas of neurotech research including stem cells treatments, new imaging technologies, drug delivery technologies and novel neuromodulation platforms and posit that these will be the primary avenues by which researchers will acclerate the development of treatments and cures for brain-related illnesses over the next decade. Over the coming week I'll be sharing key pieces of the article here, starting with the introduction.

Neurological diseases and psychiatric illnesses account for more hospitalizations, long-term care, and chronic suffering than nearly all other health conditions combined. Beyond the untold human suffering, the annual economic burden of brain-related illnesses has reached more than $1 trillion in the United States. Critical unmet medical needs remain in almost every area of brain and nervous system disorders, including: Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, obesity, pain, Parkinson’s disease, sensory disorders, spinal cord injury, stroke, schizophrenia, sleep disorders, and traumatic brain injury.

An increasing awareness of this growing economic problem and the corresponding market opportunity of nearly 2 billion people worldwide are stimulating both public and private funding in neurotechnology including new drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics for brain and peripheral nervous system disorders. Recent advances in neuroscience have dramatically expanded our understanding of the basic biological and behavioral components of brain-related illnesses. In particular, an increasing number of neurotransmitters, neurotransmitter receptors, ion channels, and other proteins critical for normal brain functioning have been identified and characterized genetically engineered animal models have improved target validation and neuroimaging techniques have made it easier to study what occurs in the injured and healthy brain. Although great strides have been made over the past decade, technological advances across several areas of research and development hold promise for the development of even more efficacious treatments and, for the first time, cures for brain and peripheral nervous system disorders. These areas include stem cell treatments, new imaging technologies, drug delivery technologies, and novel neuromodulation platforms.

Our annual conference is next week and we have a fantastic line up of over 70 speakers. This is why a record number of participants are now registered for the 4th annual Neurotech Conference in San Francisco next week. What do you have to gain?

- Find out about new product licensing and partnering opportunities
- Discover emerging technologies and companies
- Learn what venture and strategic investors are looking for
- Hear about cutting edge translational research and funding opportunities
- Meet and network with decision makers from across commercial neuroscience

Register Now - View Agenda with 70 Presenting Neurotech Executives

Join confirmed attendees who are now using the participant directory to network and set up one-on-one meetings: Aberdare Ventures, Accera, Accelemed, Adlyfe, Advanced Brain Monitoring, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Alfred Mann Foundation, Alpha Omega, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Alzheimer's Research Forum and SWAN, ARCH Venture Partners, Arcion Therapeutics, Athena Technology Ventures, Autonomic Technologies, Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Avineuro Pharmaceuticals, Azevan Pharmaceuticals, Banyan Biomarkers, Bay City Capital, Bayhill Therapeutics, BCC Partners, Betterhumans, BioBehavioral Diagnostics, BioBusiness TV, BioCentury, Biotechnology Value Fund, BiotechPartnering Solutions, Boston Scientific Neuromodulation, Brain Resource, Brain Trust Accelerator Fund, BrainCells Inc., BrainScope Company, Brown Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, CCC Medical Devices, Center for BioEntrepreneurship UCSF, Ceregene, CHDI , Cloudera, Cognitive Drug Research, CollabRx, CoMentis, Conde Nast Portfolio Magazine, Corcept Therapeutics, CorTechs Labs Inc, Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Creative Commons, CureNeuro, Cyberonics, Cypress Bioscience, Cytox Group, D. E. Shaw Ventures, De Novo Ventures, Desitin Arzneimittel GMBH, DLA Piper, Electrical Geodesics, Eli Lilly and Company, Elminda , Elsevier Business Intelligence, Embera NeuroTherapeutics, Eos Neuroscience, Epilepsy Foundation, Epilepsy Therapy Project, EpiNano, Ernst Gallo Research Center, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Fast Forward, FasterCures, Feinstein Kean Healthcare, Flywheel Ventures, Genentech, Genesys Capital, Genzyme Corporation, George Greenstein Institute, Gladstone Institutes, Great Lakes BioSciences, HLM Venture Partners, Hoffmann-La Roche, Huntington's Disease Society of America, IDSC, LLC, Impax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Magazine, iNetworks Advisors, Innovative NeuroTechnologies, Intellect Neurosciences, International Neuromodulation Society, Int'l Mental Health Research Organization, J. David Gladstone Institutes, Jan Medical, K&L Gates, Kansas Univ. Med. Center, Kappametrics Inc., Kinetics Foundation, Larta, Liverpool University, Lockheed Martin Aculight, Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, MDA Venture Philanthropy, MedAvante, MedStrategy, Medtronic, Medtronic Neuromodulation, Merck & Co, Merck Research Laboratories, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Methylation Sciences, Michael J. Fox Foundation, MicroTransponder, MIT Media Lab, Myelin Repair Foundation, Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, National Institutes of Health, Neostim, NeuroInsights, Neurologix, Neurolutions, Neuromodulation Ventures, Neuronascent, Neuronetics, Neuronetrix, NeuroNexus Technologies, NeuroNova AB, NeuroPace, Neurotechnology Industry Organization, Neurotech Reports, NeuroVentures, NFocus Neuromedical, NINDS/NIH, NIMH/NIH, North American Neuromodulation Society, Novartis Pharma AG, Novo Ventures, Omneuron, OpusGen, Otonomy, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Parexel, Pfizer, Pharmawire/Financial Times, Philips Research, Prexa Pharmaceuticals, Prize4Life, Prospect Venture Partners, Proteus Biomedical, PsychoGenics, PureTech Ventures, Q Therapeutics, QiG Group, San Jose BioCenter, Sanderling Ventures, Sandia National Laboratories, Satoris, Scale Venture Partners, Science Magazine, Science Futures, Siemens Venture Capital, Sierra Neuropharmaceuticals, Signum Biosciences, Silere Medical Technology, Shire, Sound Pharmaceuticals, SpectrumCare, Spinal Modulation, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation, Stanford University, StemCells, Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Synsonix, Targacept, Technology Partners, Technology Review, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Texcel Medical, Thallo Bioscience Advisors, The Gray Sheet, The Jackson Laboratory, The Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Thomas, McNerney & Partners, Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Tronics Medtech, UC Berkeley, Univ of Texas HSC/CCT, Univeristy of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of California, Irvine, University of Utah, Versant Ventures, Vivo Ventures, Weill Cornell Medical College, World Brain Forum, Xytis Inc., Zarlink Semiconductor, Zoomedia

Reserve Your Spot Now and View Agenda. Don't miss this excellent networking opportunity to discover partnering opportunities from across commercial neuroscience.

Conference Details:
Date: May 11-13, 2009
Location: St. Regis, San Francisco

Audience: CEOs, CSOs, CFOs, business development executives, non-profit leaders, corporate investors, venture capitalists, private equity investors, institutional investors, technology transfer experts, licensing executives

I took part in a several hour group discussion at the Decade of Mind conference back in January on neurotech and national security. Chris Forsythe of Sandia National Laboratories & James Giordano of Georgetown University & Potomac Institute for Policy Studies wrote up this nice synopsis of the discussion.

"We are approaching a time when brain science will be critical to our national security. Whether the basis for enhanced human performance or more intelligent machines, the impacts will be broad, motivating innovations in technologies, policies and practices. The prospects are similar to an earlier time ( i.e.- the 19th century) when advances in scientific understanding of the chemistry of explosives revolutionized weaponry, and the ways in which war was conducted. Brain science is poised to incur similarly far-reaching changes. There is need for a coordinated strategy as brain science becomes an increasingly important component of, and the basis for potential threats to, our national security. This strategy should provide a roadmap for translating advances, bolstered by initiatives such as the proposed Decade of the Mind and National Neurotechnology Initiative, to the national security domain. This strategy should also assure safeguards and governance, promoting U.S. leadership in establishing standards for the application of brain science to military, intelligence and other security domains. At the Fourth Decade of the Mind Conference, January 13-15, 2009, four areas were identified wherein national security will be impacted by advances in brain science.

1. Adversarial Application of Brain Science exemplified by: (a) nanoparticles engineered to affect specific brain processes, (b) “super soldiers” created through pharmaceuticals and/or brain stimulation enabling troops to think/react more quickly, exert greater concentration, etc. (c) brain imaging for interrogation/lie detection, and (d) intelligent machines replicating the mechanisms by which humans and other animals perform signal detection, information processing, etc.
2. Expanding the Limits of Human-Machine Systems Performance through technologies overcoming human perceptual and cognitive constraints limiting today’s technological solutions.
3. “Learner Specific” Education and Training - customized to the variable strengths and weaknesses of learners minimizing knowledge acquisition time and maximizing outcomes.
4. Brain Injuries and Disorders - treatments curtailing and reversing brain damage with understanding of mechanisms underlying psychological resilience suggesting techniques for assessing susceptibility, protecting against and treating stress-related pathologies.

It is reasonable to assume other nations have focused research and development on each of these areas. We assert that the U.S. should not engage in compensatory, “catch-up” research programs, as this will be costly to our national security from both an economic and pragmatic perspective. There are few fields that are as rapidly advancing as brain science. Combined with innovations in nanotechnology, genetics, microelectronics, etc., advances in brain science will only accelerate, and it is probable that major breakthroughs relevant to national security are both viable and imminently achievable. Consequently, we argue that there is need for a coordinated, strategic effort to address the ramifications of brain science in the interest of our national security."

Note: For more about the legalities of neurowarfare I recommend this paper written by Cornell Law School student Stephen White.

The New Yorker just published Brain Gain written by Margaret Talbot, in which Casey and I are interviewed. The interview was over 8 months ago. Amazing time line for these articles sometimes...

Zack and Casey Lynch are a young couple who, in 2005, launched NeuroInsights, a company that advises investors on developments in brain-science technology. (Since then, they’ve also founded a lobbying group, the Neurotechnology Industry Organization.) Casey and Zack met as undergraduates at U.C.L.A.; she went on to get a master’s degree in neuroscience at U.C.S.F., and he became an executive at a software company. Last summer, I had coffee with them in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, and they both spoke with casual certainty about the coming market for neuroenhancers. Zack, who has a book being published this summer, called “The Neuro Revolution,” said, “We live in an information society. What’s the next form of human society? The neuro-society.” In coming years, he said, scientists will understand the brain better, and we’ll have improved neuroenhancers that some people will use therapeutically, others because they are “on the borderline of needing them therapeutically,” and others purely “for competitive advantage.”

....page 7...

And yet when enthusiasts share their vision of our neuroenhanced future it can sound dystopian. Zack Lynch, of NeuroInsights, gave me a rationale for smart pills that I found particularly grim. “If you’re a fifty-five-year-old in Boston, you have to compete with a twenty-six-year-old from Mumbai now, and those kinds of pressures are only going to grow,” he began. Countries other than the U.S. might tend to be a little looser with their regulations, and offer approval of new cognitive enhancers first. “And if you’re a company that’s got forty-seven offices worldwide, and all of a sudden your Singapore office is using cognitive enablers, and you’re saying to Congress, ‘I’m moving all my financial operations to Singapore and Taiwan, because it’s legal to use those there,’ you bet that Congress is going to say, ‘Well, O.K.’ It will be a moot question then. It would be like saying, ‘No, you can’t use a cell phone. It might increase productivity!’ ”

Grim, eh?

Neuroethicist Hank Greely was interviewed recently by the Farm, Stanford's magazine, about why the Nature article on neurocognitive enhancement was a good idea.

Some good snippets: (1) "Part of me thinks that any attention is good attention, because we think this is a really important issue." (2) "Our regulatory system isn’t set up to look at or think about the enhancement uses of drugs that are approved for medical conditions." (3) "Right now, to the extent the public has thought about this issue at all, it’s kind of the knee-jerk “drugs are bad, enhancement is bad, let’s ignore it.” Not a good solution." (4)"I think it (neuroethics) is really fascinating, really hard, not going to be figured out in my lifetime and more important than genetics." (5) "For me personally it’s the sense of inevitability. We’re going to have to confront this issue, and we haven’t even begun to think about it. (6) So, if given free rein, I would rewrite the regulatory regime in a way to make the regulation of these kinds of drugs, when used for enhancing purposes, more rational. (7) But I do think that some changes will be needed. I’m ultimately not pessimistic about whether we’ll get those changes.