Researchers from Üsküdar Üniversitesi and NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi participated in the “7th International Basic and Clinical Multimodal Imaging Congress (BaCI)” held in Munich between September 02-05, 2025.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan:
“Digital therapeutics (DTx), aligning with personalized medicine principles, typically offer customized treatment plans by providing personalized monitoring, education, treatment, and rehabilitation services through mobile applications, virtual platforms, or wearable devices.”
NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Barış Metin:
“Digital applications are a powerful tool to keep patients mentally fit, prevent accidents, reduce psychological symptoms, and lighten the care burden.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel also shared the health applications and clinical trial results of DTx in psychiatry, along with systematic meta-synthesis study results.
Neuroscience PhD student Shams Farhad: “The VR and AI-supported digital therapies we developed detect early cognitive impairments by taking dynamic measurements from eye, hand, and head movements.”
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Elvan Çiftçi from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine was also awarded the “Young Investigator” prize by the ECNS Society in 2025 for her remarkable work.
Researchers from Üsküdar Üniversitesi and NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, led by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, participated in the “7th International Basic and Clinical Multimodal Imaging Congress” (7th Basic and Clinical Multimodal Imaging (BaCI)) held in Munich, Germany, between September 02-05, 2025.
The congress theme: “Neurophysiology, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence”
At the congress organized under the leadership of the EEG & Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS), chaired by Prof. Dr. Kemal Arıkan, the theme of “Neurophysiology, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence” was highlighted. Presentations addressed the potential of combining machine learning and artificial intelligence methods with neurophysiology to transform brain research and diagnostic processes.
Presentations focusing on how artificial intelligence and next-generation machine learning methods enhance the interpretation of EEG, fMRI, and electrophysiological data specifically shared current studies on analyzing complex neural signals, extracting features with high biomarker potential, and predicting neuropsychiatric disorders.
“Machine learning and artificial intelligence will transform brain research”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, in his speech at the congress, emphasized the growing volume of data collected in neuroimaging and the importance of deep learning-focused transformation in computational models, stating:
“Deep learning-focused transformation will bring us closer to understanding cognition, emotion, and consciousness, offering new possibilities in brain research and promoting advances in personalized medicine. The combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and neurophysiology will transform brain research and diagnosis, and the contribution of these methods will also enhance the interpretation of EEG, fMRI, and electrophysiological data. We achieve strong results by effectively analyzing data collected within NPİSTANBUL in Üsküdar Üniversitesi laboratories and research centers. We aim to develop and expand this capacity through international R&D projects.”
Digital therapeutics (DTx) on the rise
Prof. Tarhan, who chaired the session titled “Transforming the Field of Neurocare,” drew attention to the rise of digital therapeutics (DTx) and said:
“DTx, aligning with personalized medicine principles, typically offers customized treatment plans by providing personalized monitoring, education, treatment, and rehabilitation services through mobile applications, virtual platforms, or wearable devices, taking into account patients' genetic, biomarker, and lifestyle data. In this way, more accurate and rapid data about individuals' diseases are obtained, treatment processes are optimized to suit the individual, and health outcomes are improved. This field holds significant potential in many areas such as chronic disease management, mental health disorders, and postoperative recovery.”
Digital health applications and dementia management
Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Barış Metin, in his presentation titled “Digital Health Applications in Dementia Patients,” discussed digital applications that will facilitate the lives of dementia patients, stating, “Dementia has become an increasing health problem with the aging population. The cognitive losses these patients experience in daily life both increase the burden on caregivers and raise the risks of accidents and falls. Digital applications are a powerful tool to keep patients mentally fit, prevent accidents, reduce psychological symptoms, and lighten the care burden.”
To facilitate early diagnosis and follow-up of dementia patients
Prof. Dr. Metin also provided information about Üsküdar Üniversitesi’s EU-supported MEDGPT project, stating, “Üsküdar Üniversitesi recently received support from the EU to implement the MEDGPT project, an application that will facilitate the early diagnosis and follow-up of dementia patients. It was emphasized that the project aims to develop an application that patients can use interactively, enabling physicians to diagnose and monitor the disease using neuroimaging information such as MRI.”
Digital therapeutics and Alzheimer's research
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, in his presentation titled “Digital Therapeutics: The Future of Medicine,” shared the health applications and clinical trial results of DTx specifically in psychiatry, along with systematic meta-synthesis study results.
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, discussing FDA-approved DTx studies and comparatively addressing clinical outcomes in patients with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and healthy control groups, continued as follows:
“Based on Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), RCTs using mobile application interventions in elderly individuals with MCI or dementia were selected for a meta-synthesis study on the relationships between mobile applications and cognitive function outcomes. Interventions and comparisons included: CCT, intensive CCT (CCT2x), progressive resistance training (PRT), CCT plus medication, CCT plus PRT, and cognitive functionality and other functionality measures (e.g., activities of daily living - ADL) were compared in control groups receiving only medication. CCT2x showed statistically significant improvements in global cognitive function, episodic memory, and working memory when compared to the control group. In ADL, CCT significantly reduced functional impairment. For depressive symptoms, CCT2x was the most effective method in reducing symptoms.”
In general, Prof. Dr. Ergüzel shared that DTx could be effective in improving cognitive and other functional outcomes in older adults with MCI or dementia, and provided information about the TÜBİTAK project ongoing at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, titled “Early Stage Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Using VR-Based Cognitive Serious Games Through Spatial Data and EEG Data with Artificial Intelligence (AI).”
VR-supported early diagnosis system for Alzheimer's
Neuroscience PhD student Shams Farhad, in his presentation titled “Evidence-Based Therapeutic Intervention by Software,” shared the initial results of the Voctor Health – VH Alzheimer system developed for Alzheimer's by Üsküdar Üniversitesi, NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, and Iottech Bilişim:
“Alzheimer's disease is rapidly increasing worldwide, but most patients do not get the chance for timely intervention due to lack of early diagnosis. The VR and AI-supported digital therapies we developed detect early cognitive impairments by taking dynamic measurements from eye, hand, and head movements. This system is not just a diagnostic tool but also a powerful therapeutic support.”
Shams also stated that real-time brain activity analyses would be possible with EEG integration in the future, adding, “This approach could create a new digital biomarker platform in Alzheimer's care.”
‘Young investigator’ award goes to Üsküdar…
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Elvan Çiftçi from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, Department of Mental Health and Diseases, presented the results of deep and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS/rTMS) treatments in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Elvan Çiftçi stated that in her studies, biomarkers such as early age, frontal delta, and occipital theta elevation were particularly important in predicting treatment response.
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Elvan Çiftçi was awarded the “Young Investigator” prize by the ECNS Society in 2025 for her remarkable work.