D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S
fundamental level – so why are we neglecting to monitor our health in the same way ?
Even though the brain is not visible , it is still susceptible to damage – by injury , or through everyday stresses and lifestyle choices – and most of us know that we ought to have a better understanding of the condition of our brains . But unlike the easy accessibility of the high street optician , we simply don ’ t have access to the technologies and professionals who can help us to monitor the health of our brain .
However , with awareness , momentum and tech innovation in the field of neuroscience increasing at an exponential rate , could that all be about to change ?
What is brain health ?
Brain health refers to the level of well-being across neurological , mental health and social health – not merely the absence of disease . There are five pillars that shape the health of the brain :
1 . Diet 2 . Physical exercise 3 . Sleep 4 . Socialisation 5 . Cognitive exercise
Currently , people have very limited choices when it comes to understanding the health of their brain and how their lifestyle influences it . Individuals who have expressed concern about their brain health or mental well-being will know that initial assessments are often based on subjective human judgements , such as feeling foggy .
Unsurprisingly , there is often a great deal of variability in this information , making it hard to provide effective treatment and the right type of advice .
Our brains are unique to us as our fingerprints ; therefore , people need a personalised data-led approach that provides them with rich insights unique to them .
Brain health and MEG
There are tools that can provide this type of information , but they are generally inaccessible to the public , sitting within research centres or at a high price point – which prevents them from being utilised within standard clinical pathways .
Magnetoencephalography ( MEG ) is a safe , non-invasive scanning technology that measures the brain ' s electrical activity and provides an accurate map of an individual ’ s connectivity . MEG has been used by world-class scientists for 30 years to uncover neurological markers of both health and disease .
Astonishingly researchers have discovered incredible uses for it , like identifying concussion and early brain changes indicative of Alzheimer ’ s Disease , even before an individual experiences symptoms like memory loss . For those concerned about their brain health or those living with neurological conditions , MEG technology could uncover life-changing insights .
Unfortunately , access to this state-of-theart tech stands in the way for many people . Brain health monitoring is not accessible to the general public and it ’ s only in elite contact sports where the use of MEG is being explored for research purposes .
However , a growing public appetite for health data is ushering in a new , more democratic , state of play . Start-ups backed by top neuroscientists , such as MYndspan , are exploring avenues through which any person could be given convenient and ondemand access to their brain health data .
Empowerment of data
People deserve to have access to and feel empowered by the incredible insights MEG can provide . Being able to track and monitor how the brain is functioning over time allows individuals to make more informed decisions when looking after their well-being and cognitive performance .
It is encouraging to see a rise in the volume of companies dedicating themselves to empowering people with their own data and encouraging them to take control of their brain health . Several recent developments have meant we are heading in the right direction to bring brain health into the 21st Century with this potentially lifechanging technology .
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