NICE in the UK issues recommendation for Sleepio app, the digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia by Big Health
Sleepio becomes first digital therapeutic to receive NICE guidance (MobiHealthNews):
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended the Sleepio app as an effective alternative to sleeping pills.
In its guidance, NICE states the app, created by digital therapeutics (DTx) firm Big Health, is a safe and effective treatment for people suffering from insomnia.
… The Sleepio app uses an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to provide people with tailored digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT‑I).
Jeanette Kusel, acting director for med tech and digital, NICE, said: “Our rigo...
Source: SharpBrains - May 24, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation cognitive behavioural therapy cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia digital cognitive behavioural therapy insomnia symptoms National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NICE Sleepio Source Type: blogs
Deep learning model built on neuroimaging data identifies “Brain Age Gaps” as markers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Brain Age Gap is a Composite Biomarker for Dementia Pathology or Severity (GEN):
Mayo Clinic scientists have developed a computational model that predicts brain age using a large collection of neuroimaging data obtained using FDG-PET (fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) and structural MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The deep learning-based model tests the relationship between brain age gaps in various forms of dementia, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Lewy body dementia (LBD), as well as in normal brains.
… “The ability for deep l...
Source: SharpBrains - May 19, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation AD AD biomarker Alzheimer’s Disease brain-aging Cognitive-impairment deep learning frontotemporal dementia Lewy body dementia mild-cognitive-impairment neurodegenerative neurodegenerat Source Type: blogs
New book provides practical guidance for women (and men) to rebalance our lifestyles and build Cognitive Reserve
On one of our “walk and talks” around the lush trails of Rock Creek Park in DC surrounded by bikers, runners, cars and the occasional deer, Wendy and Lisa talked about aging. Wendy’s mother, who had her children in her early 20s, was still joining the family’s grueling summer hikes with her children and nine grandchildren well into her 60s. Wendy mused about how much older she would be when their kids could have their own kids. It dawned on her that her health was not just a here and now issue, but an investment in that future. We agreed to help each other cultivate the habits and make time to build strength as wel...
Source: SharpBrains - May 17, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning book Cognitive-impairment cognitive-reserve dementia healthy-aging Lifelong Neuroplasticity physical-health Rebalance Source Type: blogs
Study on the “ABCs of Mental Health” finds that simply believing you can improve mental wellbeing helps actually improve it
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
To Learn More:
Impact evaluation of the “ABCs of Mental Health” in Denmark and the role of mental health-promoting beliefs and actions (opens paper on Mental Health and Social Inclusion journal)
Study: Higher mental wellbeing (in 2016) seen to lower healthcare costs (in 2017)
The post Study on the “ABCs of Mental Health” finds that simply believing you can improve mental wellbeing helps actually improve it appeared first on SharpBrains. (Source: SharpBrains)
Source: SharpBrains - May 12, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: The Conversation Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning mental wellbeing mental-disorders mental-health-treatment mind Source Type: blogs
“Digital therapeutics” vs. “Mental health apps”: A growing debate on standards, regulation and efficacy
The efficacy of Mental Health Apps (pharmaforum):
In January, PLOS Digital Health published a study which claimed that there’s “sparse” data to support the efficacy of most mental health apps.
In their meta-analysis of published studies, the authors found universal deficiencies and concluded that there’s no convincing evidence that app-based interventions deliver meaningful outcomes. Without digging further, one might think the current case for digital therapeutics is weak.
I reviewed all 14 meta-analyses included in the study and found the analysis to be accurate, but incomplete.
These analyses focused exclusively...
Source: SharpBrains - May 9, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation Big Health digital health digital therapeutics Digital Therapeutics Alliance DTx FDA Happify Health mental health apps mental illness meta-analysis Orexo PEAR PLOS Digital Health Source Type: blogs
Study: Automated VR psychotherapy can help reduce anxiety and distress, especially among those with psychosis and severe agoraphobia
Oxford University VR spinout demonstrates significant psychotherapy benefits in Lancet study (Fierce Healthcare):
Virtual reality can help treat symptoms in patients with psychosis, according to a new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
GameChangeVR automates psychotherapy, guiding users with a virtual coach. It was developed by OxfordVR, a digital therapeutics company, the University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust … The study, based on 346 patients, found that automated VR therapy led to “significant reductions” in symptoms of anxious avoidance and distress. The technology especially benefite...
Source: SharpBrains - May 5, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation agoraphobia cognitive cognitive model gameChange psychosis Psychotherapy virtual coach virtual-reality Source Type: blogs
Funding for digital health start-ups, especially in mental health, fall substantially in Q1 ’22
Global digital health funding falls 36% with fewer megarounds, IPOs (Fierce Healthcare):
After two years of record-breaking investment in digital health, capital flow into the sector took a dive in the first quarter of 2022.
The global digital health market saw funding decrease 36% from the fourth quarter of 2021, totaling $10.4 billion, as investors reacted to supply chain woes, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a volatile stock market, according to a new CB Insights report.
While all tech sectors received smaller funding totals than the previous quarter, digital health plunged much further than others did … investor ...
Source: SharpBrains - May 3, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation cerebral digital health digital health market Mental Health Tech Talkspace Source Type: blogs
News on how the brain changes over time, how to clear foggy brains, how to multitask (or not), and more
Welcome to a new edition of SharpBrains’ e‑newsletter, featuring timely brain & mental health news and a fun brain teaser to test the limits of multi-tasking.
#1. Collaborative neuroimaging initiative BrainChart helps chart how brains change across the lifespan. Among the many fascinating findings:
“The volume of grey matter (brain cells) increases rapidly from mid-gestation onwards, peaking just before we are six years old. It then begins to decrease slowly.”
“The volume of white matter (brain connections) also increased rapidly from mid-gestation through early childhood and peaks just before we are 29 years...
Source: SharpBrains - April 28, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health SharpBrains Monthly eNewsletter Technology & Innovation Altoida brain-cells brain-health-market BrainChart cognitive well being digital therapeutics Eisai foggy brains Geisinger grey-matter neuroimaging psy Source Type: blogs
Collaborative neuroimaging initiative BrainChart helps chart how brains change across the lifespan
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
The post Collaborative neuroimaging initiative BrainChart helps chart how brains change across the lifespan appeared first on SharpBrains. (Source: SharpBrains)
Source: SharpBrains - April 26, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: The Conversation Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation ageing brain changes brain charts brain scans brain-development computerised tomography lifespan magnetic resonance imaging mental illness neuroimaging Source Type: blogs
Debate: Will digital therapeutics gain the required levels of awareness, adoption, reimbursement and fulfillment to become sustainable?
Can digital therapeutics become profitable? (MedTechDive):
In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration cleared Akili Interactive’s video game to improve attention in kids with ADHD. It was the first time that a video game for treatment was cleared by the agency, and is one example of a digital therapeutic, a class of software-based treatments with FDA indications.
Now, as the market is further developing, these companies have built up big ambitions.
Corey McCann, the CEO of Pear Therapeutics, which has three FDA-cleared digital treatments, hopes to make them the standard of care and garner widespread insurance coverage. Af...
Source: SharpBrains - April 21, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation Akili Interactive digital therapeutic digital therapeutics Food and Drug Administration Pear Therapeutics Source Type: blogs
