Paradromics, the Texas-based brain-computer interface (BCI) company, announced that it successfully implanted and removed its BCI device during a scheduled epilepsy surgery at the University of Michigan.

The system, known as the Connexus BCI, was able to record neural activity during the brief procedure.

If you’re unfamiliar, a BCI is a technology that interprets signals from the brain and converts them into commands for external devices.  

Although the FDA has not yet approved the device, this successful demonstration in a human brain signals that the technology may now be ready to move from the lab to the clinic.

Pending regulatory approvals, Paradromics plans to launch a full-scale clinical trial later this year to study the implant's safety and potential long-term benefits for people with severe motor impairments, such as paralysis. Absolutely amazing technology! Here’s more: https://www.paradromics.com/news/paradromics-completes-first-in-human-recording-with-the-connexus-brain-computer-interface

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, published a new study which shows that infant brain wiring can predict emotional growth months before it actually appears. 

The study, which was published in the journal, Genomic Psychiatry, focused on critical white matter pathways connecting regions responsible for self-awareness, attention to important stimuli, and cognitive control. 

The findings revealed distinct patterns linking brain structure to emotional outcomes. Infants with higher neurite dispersion in the forceps minor – a bundle of fibers connecting the brain’s hemispheres – showed greater increases in negative emotionality between 3 and 9 months. This suggests that certain patterns of brain connectivity might predispose infants to heightened emotional reactivity.

Conversely, infants with more complex microstructures in the left cingulum bundle, which connects regions involved in executive control, demonstrated larger increases in positive emotions and improved self-soothing abilities.

These discoveries raise some fascinating questions about whether early interventions could potentially influence these neural pathways to promote healthier emotional development. Check it out: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/genpsych/aop/article-10.61373-gp025a.0026/article-10.61373-gp025a.0026.xml

A new study published in JAMA Neurology found that epileptic seizures are significantly more common in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) than previously believed. In some cases, seizures occurred up to 10 years before an FTD diagnosis, highlighting a potentially overlooked early symptom.

Researchers analyzed over 12,000 medical records and found that epilepsy was more frequent in FTD patients compared to those with Alzheimer’s or healthy controls. These findings suggest that better screening for epilepsy in FTD could improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. Here’s more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2834602

Worth noting: our portfolio company, Psilera, has amassed an impressive pipeline of next-generation assets including PSIL-006, which is a psilocybin derived therapeutic for the treatment of FTD.

Preclinical data for PSIL-006 has shown no treatment-limited side effects, and in animal model testing, demonstrated efficacy with a single dose by reducing several symptoms commonly associated with FTD.

A few months ago, Psilera also announced a licensing agreement whereby atai Life Sciences (NASDAQ: ATAI) acquired Psilera’s DMT patent portfolio. That deal is now helping Psilera advance the clinical development of PSIL-006.

Did you know that rhythm rewires the brain, moment by moment? 

According to a new study from Aarhus University and the University of Oxford, when you listen to a steady rhythm your brain doesn’t just process it but reconfigures itself in real time. 

Rather than fixed stations like alpha or beta waves, researchers found that frequencies shift and spread, adapting to sounds and internal states. Now they have a new way to map the brain with high precision, with potential applications in music cognition, attention, and mental health diagnostics. Check it out: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202413195