TOWARD A SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The Tucson Conference 2014 - 20th Anniversary

APRIl 21-26, 2014 Tucson - University Park Marriott

under the direction of the Center for CONSCIOUSNESS STUDIES, University of Arizona

Pre-Conference Workshop

Workshop

Brain Stimulation Workshop

Presenters:      William J. Tyler, Ph.D.

                             and a team of researchers (tba)

Date:                   Monday, April 21, 2014

Session:            6:00-9:00

Room:                 tba

Description

The major goal of the workshop is to provide attendees with a broad overview of non-invasive neuromodulation and non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). A collection of short lectures will provide attendees with a background to compare and contrast the most commonly employed NIBS approaches. We will further discuss state-of-the-art methods and devices used to conduct transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcranial ultrasound (TUS) neuromodulation. The latest developments in medicine will be highlighted as the clinical utility of TMS and tDCS to treat neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases will be discussed. Emerging applications of TUS in mood enhancement, functional brain mapping and therapeutic interventions will be examined. Lastly, the impact of NIBS on the future evolution of human intelligence will be examined through a forward-looking lens where neuromodulation becomes part of our routine lives to help us relax, gain energy, pay better attention, learn more, and communicate more effectively.

Outline

6:00-6:30 pm: Introduction and overview of NIBS

6:33-7:00 pm: The clinical utility of TMS in neurology and psychiatry

7:00-7:30 pm: Resurgence of tDCS and transcranial electrostimulation

7:30-8:00 pm: The influence of TUS on mood and arousal in humans

8:00-8:20 pm: The effects of TUS on cortical function in humans

8:20-8:45 pm: The future of NIBS in our daily lives

8:45-9:00 pm: Workshop wrap-up and discussion

9:00 pm-12 am: Private Brain Activation Event

Neurotrek, Inc. will host a private event following the workshop. The event at a landmark Tucson venue will provide an opportunity for individuals to more fully explore Brain Activation and Neuroenhancement in a real world setting. Details will be provided soon.

William J. Tyler, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences

Virgnia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Co-founder and Chief Science Officer

Neurotrek, Inc.

Curriculum vitae

Dr. Tyler is an assistant professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute with a primary appointment in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences at Virginia Tech. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham before conducting a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. Dr. Tyler was a National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke predoctoral and postdoctoral fellow. After completing his postdoc in 2006, he began as an Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Bioimaging at Arizona State University. In 2010, he was the recipient of a 2010 DARPA Young Faculty Award and was named the Academic Innovator of the Year in Arizona. Recently he received a McKnight Technological Innovation in Neuroscience Award (co-awarded with Dr. Doris Tsao at Caltech). His lab focuses on utilizing cutting-edge technology to investigate a wide range of problems in modern neuroscience.