Self-programing and low-energy Neuromorphic computers are coming!

The research team, which participated in the congress under the chairmanship of President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, represented our country in two separate sessions.
Üsküdar University researchers, who develop smart predictive models by using artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms on the Cloud, are leading the transformation in the field of neuroscience in Türkiye with the strategy of shifting their studies in the field of neuroscience to neuromorphic computers.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan expressed: "Thanks to these new applications, a special treatment can be given to the genetic structure of the patient instead of giving the same treatment to each patient, and it can be determined in advance which drug will work better."

Üsküdar University attended the 21st Congress of the Association of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics

The 21st annual congress of the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT), which included distinguished researchers in the field of neuroscience, especially from the USA, was held in Los Angeles, USA.

Founded in 2013, SBMT also pioneered the G20+ World Brain Mapping and Therapeutics Initiative, which was renamed Neuroscience20 (Brain, Spine and Mental Health). This initiative aims to create a global consortium that integrates nanotechnology, imaging, cellular/stem cell therapeutics, information technology, and devices in brain mapping.

Üsküdar University team represented our country in two separate sessions

Only researchers from Üsküdar University and NPİSTANBUL Hospital from Türkiye participated in the 21st annual congress, which covers all neurological disorders from imaging to genomics and nano, and includes distinguished researchers in the field of neuroscience, especially from the USA. The research team, which participated in the congress under the chairmanship of President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, represented our country in two separate sessions titled "Advances in Neuroimaging Techniques" and "Addiction Medicine".

Presentations in which neuromorphic computer technologies were discussed were also made

In the presentations in which neuromorphic computer technologies that will be at the center of new generation neuroscience studies were discussed, Üsküdar University has led the "Edge Computing" technology transformation, which is designed to bring applications and computing capabilities closer to the users or "objects" that need them, instead of cloud computing technology, which works with the principle of high speed and performance.

The new generation of neuromorphic computers, which are based on synaptic neural networks instead of artificial neural networks, also contribute to the edge computing transformation with much lower energy consumption and higher computing capacity than quantum computers.

What is the goal of neuromorphic computers?

Neuromorphic computers, which aim to achieve three basic features that the human brain has but computers do not, have the following features:

-Low power consumption: Power close to the energy consumption of the human brain,

-Fault tolerance: The loss of neurons in neuromorphic chips has a negligible effect on the performance of the system and has high fault tolerance

-It does not need to be programmed: It learns and changes on its own as it interacts with information.

It leads the neuromorphic computers transformation in the field of neuroscience in Türkiye

Üsküdar University researchers, who develop smart predictive models by using Artificial Intelligence-based and Deep learning algorithms on the Cloud, are leading the transformation in the field of neuroscience in Türkiye with the strategy of shifting their studies in the field of neuroscience to neuromorphic computers.

Presentations from Türkiye attracted great attention

The presentations made by academicians from Üsküdar University and NPİSTANBUL Hospital from Türkiye also attracted the attention of researchers. With the new product it has developed, NPİSTANBUL Hospital announced that Vielight company is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's, Traumatic Brain Injury, Parkinson's, Autism, PTSD, Long-covid and through a process called photobiomodulation (PBM), which improves mitochondrial health by absorbing light energy in the red to NIR wavelength range, mitochondria, biochemical reactions and other cellular processes, working as cellular "batteries" that provide energy to carry out metabolic and cerebral blood contributed to innovative treatment processes by including The Vielight Neuro™ product, which increases its flow, in the treatment protocol.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan shared clinical pharmacogenetic applications in his presentation

At the meeting attended by scientists across the world, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made a presentation titled "Use of Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers as Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics".

Prof. Tarhan underlined the current studies in the field of neuroscience and shared the drug blood level measurements and clinical pharmacogenetics applications carried out at the university in his presentation.

Underlining that TDM (therapeutic drug monitoring, measurement of drugs levels in the blood) applications are important in choosing the appropriate dose for the patient and prevent the formation of toxic drug levels, Prof. Tarhan shared the results of pharmacogenetic profiling under the heading of COMT enzyme activity and serotonin transporter protein activity measurement studies, which determine the amount of dopamine in the brain.

As a result of genetic profiling studies, personalized treatment plans are made

Noting that as a result of these genetic profiling studies, personalized treatment plans can be designed by determining personalized characteristics, Prof. Tarhan stated that "This method can be considered a successful example of newly developed personalized medicine applications in the world. Thanks to these new applications, a special treatment can be given to the genetic structure of the patient instead of giving the same treatment to every patient, and it can be determined in advance which drug will work better."

At the meeting, which was also followed by SBMT TV, Prof. Tarhan made evaluations to SBMT TV in the context of the studies of the Brain Mapping Association and its new applications in the field of neuroscience, brain computer interfaces and smart prediction models, and the strong research network provided by SBMT. Prof. Tarhan evaluated the developments in the field of neuroscience and the contribution of Üsküdar University to the field in recent years locally and globally within the scope of the G20, ME+ (Middle East Plus Initiative).

Methamphetamine increases the risk of developing medical and mental illnesses...

NPİSTANBUL Hospital Psychiatrist Prof. Nesrin Dilbaz, who is a member of the research team, informed on the prevalence of methamphetamine use and increased risk of these patients developing Parkinson's medical and mental diseases in the short and long term.

Prof. Nesrin Dilbaz stated that "Even if the methamphetamine is not used for a long time, it continues to be present in the body and brain for weeks or months. From this point of view, it is predicted that the majority of patients will have another mental illness that is resistant to treatment. Approximately 55 percent of patients with methamphetamine use disorder alone have benefited from Deep TMS therapy."

Prof. Dilbaz stated that more than half of the methamphetamine users had schizophrenia or psychotic disorder in their own study, and that since these patients did not benefit from standard addiction and/or psychosis treatment, they also benefited from electroconvulsive treatment along with long-acting antipsychotic treatment, and those patients not only had psychosis but also reduced time and rates of onset of substance use.

Prof. Türker Ergüzel shared the diagnosis and treatment prediction model 'NP Model' in psychiatric disorders...

Üsküdar University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Software Engineering Department Head Prof. Türker Ergüzel also shared with the researchers the use of the NP Model interface developed with the science and application partner NPİSTANBUL Hospital within Üsküdar University and the deep learning (DL) based algorithm under the title of "Explainable AI and its Applications to Neuroimaging Data".

Prof. Ergüzel made a presentation on how to make sense of and interpret the high classification performance of the OCD (obsessive-compulsive personality disorder) model, whose symptoms are similar to anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia or other mental health disorders, and how to interpret the distinctive clinical features extracted by DL of the interface, which is designed as a diagnosis and treatment prediction model of psychiatric disorders and can analyze uploaded data in real time.

Prof. Barış Metin talked about brain alterations seen in individuals who use substances

NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital Neurology Specialist Prof. Barış Metin explained brain alterations seen in individuals who use substances in his study titled "Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Addiction".

In the presentation, Prof. Metin stated how drugs alter and damage the brain by giving examples from studies carried out with the MR method showing the structure and functional status of the brain, and in his presentation, Metin conveyed the studies executed by Üsküdar University and shown that there is shrinkage in many areas of the brain in individuals who use substances.

Prof. C. Onur Noyan discussed the intersection of addiction and genetic research, and psychiatric disorders

NPİSTANBUL Hospital Psychiatrist Prof. Onur Noyan discussed the intersection of addiction and genetic research and psychiatric disorders in his presentation titled "Clinical Implications of Addiction Genetics: the Synthetic Cannabinoid Example".

Stating that the intersection of addiction and genetic research has recently become an important paradigm in terms of understanding and managing psychiatric disorders, and that it contributes to a better understanding of the role of genetic factors in the etiology of addiction, individual predispositions and responses to treatment, Prof. Noyan expressed that especially the identification of genetic predispositions in the development of addiction and the identification of personal risk factors has a critic importance in customized treatment strategies. Noyan emphasized that genetic analysis has come to the fore as a basic tool in determining the predisposition of individuals to psychosis or major psychiatric disorders after substance use, in the selection of specific pharmacotherapies and in predicting the risk of relapse.

Prof. Noyan shared that these methods, an approach based on genetic information, can increase the effectiveness of addiction treatment and allow personalized treatment planning in the management of the disease.

Asst. Prof. Cihan Taştan discussed new generation molecular approaches in understanding the mechanism of addiction

Üsküdar University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics faculty member, Transgenic Cell Technologies Application and Research Center (TRGENMER) Director Asst. Prof. Cihan Taştan discussed the new generation molecular approaches to understanding the mechanism of addiction in his presentation titled "Next-Generation Molecular Approaches to Understand the Genetic Mechanism of Addiction".

In his presentation, Asst. Prof. Cihan Taştan emphasized the molecular biology aspect of addiction and explained the importance of epigenetic modifications, expressions of genes and mRNAs associated with reward and punishment parts in the brain.

The Message Science Mission was also discussed

Moreover, sharing the vision of future studies that addiction can be solved with targeted and personalized molecular approaches in the future with antisense oligonucleotide, CRISPR and epigenetic modification inducers developed in recent years, Asst. Prof. Cihan Taştan concluded his presentation by talking about his studies investigating how genes related to brain functions such as neurodegeneration, depression and major depressive disorder are affected by microgravity and space conditions within the scope of the Message Science Mission carried out with the first Turkish Astronaut to go to space.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)