President Barack Obama announces Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (or BRAIN) proposal on Tuesday at the White House. The president is asking Congress to spend $100 million next year to start a new project to map the human brain in hopes of eventually finding cures for diseases like Alzheimerís. (Susan Walsh, The Associated Press)
A proposed $100 million push to better understand the enormously complex human brain has the potential to lead to breakthroughs in treating Alzheimerís, Parkinsonís and even traumatic brain injury.
Given the enormous financial and human toll of these conditions, itís an investment worth making.
And considering the strength of neuroscience studies at University of Colorado, the emphasis could create new opportunities for collaboration and research in the Centennial State.
We hope Congress can find a way to fit the expense of such an effort into a reworked budget plan intended to put the country on a sustainable fiscal path.
However, fiscal prudence cannot be the sole goal of a retrenched budget. Such a plan also must make considered expenses that result in a societal improvements.
Fortunately, an initiative to map the brain, announced this week by President Obama, could do both. Not only does it have the potential to make life better for the many whose lives have been adversely affected by various brain conditions, it also could save significant amounts of money in future health care costs.
A study by the RAND Corp. estimates it costs $157 billion to $215 billion annually (in 2010 dollars) just to treat dementia.
By way of comparison, the study found the annual cost of treating heart disease was $102 billion, and for cancer, $77 billion.
A breakthrough that would allow Alzheimerís patients to live more independently, for even a few years, could result in significant reductions in publicly funded health care costs.
And it could be of immense comfort to people who suffer the agony of seeing their loved ones lose their ability to function and recognize friends and family.
The research initiative announced by the president Tuesday is intended to record and map brain circuits in action. The president would like to see universities, private companies and philanthropists enter into partnerships with federal agencies to pursue the work.
At CU, work along those lines already is underway. Diego Restrepo, director of the Center for Neuroscience, said efforts to map brain neuron anatomy are ongoing, as are efforts to understand how these neurons affect speech, decision-making, learning and memory.
Another branch of study involves practical applications and developing therapies for brain-related diseases and conditions.
Itís important work in a field of study that is but in its infancy. The presidential initiative could be a catalyst for life-changing advances that would benefit society as a whole.