Work Stream 5

Transforming Therapies

Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation is emerging as a cutting-edge treatment for Parkinson’s disease, while neuroprosthetics are revolutionising treatments for paralysis and limb loss. However, the therapeutic potential of CNITs extend far beyond these early applications towards regulating network connectivity and dynamics across a wide range of disorders. For example, there is emerging evidence that aberrant oscillations underpin conditions from Alzheimer’s disease to schizophrenia, while closed-loop interventions in sleep are being shown to benefit immune health and vagal nerve stimulation may help recovery from COVID fatigue. By fostering collaboration between engineers, scientists and clinicians, the network will explore novel applications of CNITs including manipulating brain oscillations for therapeutic benefit, for example in dementia and mental health, or driving neuroplasticity, for example in neurorehabilitation or neurodevelopmental disorders.