Webinar Recap: The Emerging Promise of Neuromodulation
Insights from a stimulating discussion with experts in the field
On Wednesday, my colleague Ramez Naam and I hosted a lively discussion on the topic of neuromodulation. Our experts, Dr. Hubert Lim, Dr. Arun Sridhar, and Dr. Robert Hampson shared their thoughts on this rapidly growing field. For a deeper dive into neuromodulation, check out my blog on the topic. And in case you missed it, catch the replay of the webinar here!
Each of the panelists generously shared their views and their personal journeys — and together they spanned decades of research and work in this field. Here are some highlights from our conversation.
The Breadth of Applications
We started off the discussion with areas that could be and are being therapeutically addressed through neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is emerging as a powerful therapeutic option, particularly in conditions where prescription drugs are ineffective or have failed. Conditions include: tinnitus, pain, tremor, memory, stress, immune system dysfunction, epilepsy, sleep apnea, depression, and heart failure (just to name a few!). It was clear from the conversation that we are just at the beginning of how neuromodulation can be deployed across the entire body for therapeutic use. The more we can build a detailed understanding of the “wiring diagram” in the brain and body — the more opportunities will emerge.
Time to Market
Here we focused exclusively on clinical applications — and new devices are now in clinical trials and entering the medical device market. Some devices, like deep brain stimulators for Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, are already in use today. Likewise, these devices have been widely accepted as cardiac and pain therapies. What’s emerging — brain implants for restoration of memory function — are likely to take another 5–7 years to reach the clinical market. While noninvasive devices — those that stimulate the brain and nervous system from outside of the body — might only take 2–3 years to reach clinical approvals. This time to market is accelerating as new devices receive regulatory approval and pave the way for the devices to come.
Therapeutics vs. Enhancement
Neuromodulation is typically thought of as a therapy alone, but its utility as a potential enhancement has become apparent. If you can help restore memory function, there’s no reason that it can’t also be used to enhance memory formation or recall. In fact, recent work with vagal nerve stimulation has demonstrated that when paired with training it can accelerate language learning. Stimulating that same nerve can also modulate attention and inflammation in the body. In our discussion, we honed in on the precision of neuromodulation, because it's not like a drug that is hard to target and dose. With neuromodulation, one can really tune the stimulation and even “train” the brain and body back into balance. Exciting times!
Safety and Efficacy
The webinar audience was particularly interested in the safety and efficacy of these devices. They are less well known than prescription drugs and there’s always some hesitancy when you consider putting energy into the body. Whether it's electrical, magnetic, or ultrasound stimulation — the devices are held to the highest standards via the FDA’s regulatory approvals for devices. The fact that there are devices already on the market is an indicator that the process is working. However, as some of these devices are new — long-term studies are required as well — as some of these devices, specifically implanted ones, are being designed to last a decade or more. And finally, open communication between researchers, clinicians, and the public is critical for this field to grow and for patients to be made aware of new options.
Neuromodulation — A Webinar and More…
These highlights are just a snippet of the incredible content shared by our panelists. I encourage you to watch the webinar to really get the energy of the group and absorb some of their excitement. This area is of particular interest to us at Prime Movers Lab as it fits squarely in our theme of Human Augmentation. We’ll be sharing some additional writings on the topic in the coming months. In the meantime, maybe you know of an emerging startup in neuromodulation? Be sure to send them my way!
Prime Movers Lab invests in breakthrough scientific startups founded by Prime Movers, the inventors who transform billions of lives. We invest in companies reinventing energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, human augmentation, and agriculture.
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