The Future of CIRS

April 7, 2023

By: Andrew Heyman, MD, MHSA

It is difficult, if not dangerous, to predict the future. But trends and good data can point the way toward possibilities and probabilities. There is momentum building in our understanding of Chronic Inflammatory Response  Syndrome (CIRS), and the science has grown exponentially in the past 18 months thanks to transcriptomics. This new knowledge is sweeping our efforts forward in a  more defined direction while we hone our understanding of the disease. The future is coming into focus.

There are also larger moving parts within the general CIRS practitioner community and even external social and market forces that seem to be creating a set of likely outcomes that are both exciting and important.

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Investing in Inflammation: Thriving R&D in Immune-Mediated Neurological Disease Sector 

March 31, 2023

Increasing life expectancy has led to silently progressive neurodegenerative disorders becoming more prominent worldwide. In the case of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease, the urgent need for targeted and effective treatments is more significant than ever.

Major technological advancements have spurred research and development in the biotechnology industry, leading to the discovery of novel therapeutic platforms that can target the root cause of diseases.

With the help of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, gene editing, and precision medicine, biotech companies are now better equipped to develop new treatment strategies. One promising approach gaining significant attention in recent years involves targeting the overactive immune system and reducing systemic inflammation to mitigate the detrimental effects of neuroinflammation.

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Predicting Disease Susceptibility Through Changes in Cognitive Performance

March 25, 2023

Cognitive function and other physiological factors, such as stress levels, have long been associated with physiological health and immunocompetence. Markers of cognitive function, such as reaction time, vigilance, and processing speed, are central to human ability and optimal performance. Variability in these measures is common, as numerous environmental, physical, and mental factors can modify them, including sleep quality, dietary patterns, and other lifestyle choices.

A burgeoning body of scientific evidence suggests that intra-individual variability reaction time and other cognitive performance markers may reflect neurobiological disturbances and, thus, have valuable prognostic significance. Prior research has shown that a heightened variability in reaction time is explicitly associated with greater mortality risk in both younger and older adults. Now, the results of a recent 2022 study reveal a potential connection between cognitive performance and disease susceptibility that could transform our understanding of and approach to the brain-immune system pathway.

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