All times listed in Pacific Standard Time. All press events will be held in Room 15A in the San Diego Convention Center. Media registrants will have access to the livestreams and recordings of all press events.
Sunday, November 16
Our senses are not always reliable and change as we age. Neuroscientists will: share mind-bending insights into perception from human, animal, and machine models; show how children’s brains learn to prioritize speech over music; how AI falls for auditory illusions; and how we experience a tickle. Researchers that restored hearing to mice through gene therapy will discuss their findings related to sensory recovery and resilience.
Moderator(s):
Benjamin Rowland, Wake Forest School of Medicine
Presenter(s):
Liberty Hamilton, University of California, Berkeley
Daniel Polley, Massachusetts Eye and Ear / Harvard Medical School
Konstantina Kilteni, Donders Institute; Karolinska Institute
Michael Beauchamp, University of Pennsylvania
Parenthood remodels the brains of both mothers and fathers, preparing parents for birth and for nurturing a new infant. Researchers will describe the extensive changes revealed in fMRI studies of the maternal brain and explain the neuroscience of caregiving in male mice. Scientists will also share research into midwife behavior in mice, highlighting the role of oxytocin in caring for others.
Moderator(s):
Bianca Jones Marlin, Columbia University
Presenter(s):
Camila Servin-Barthet, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Yongxiang Li, University of South Florida
Robert C. Froemke, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
The symptoms that accompany migraines are diverse and debilitating. Researchers will discuss the efficacy of psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in hallucinogenic mushrooms, in treating migraine-induced hypersensitivity and share how diet might influence migraine symptoms. The session will cover the sex-specific nature of the condition and present a new model for studying migraines that holds promise for advancing the field.
Moderator(s):
Ian Meng, University of New England
Presenter(s):
Owein Guillemot-Legris, Transpharmation
Anju Vasudevan, Huntington Medical Research Institute
Ashley VanMeter, Georgetown University
Mark Urban, PsychoGenics
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), devices that use brain activity to direct machines to perform tasks, promise life-changing autonomy for patients. Researchers will share some of the latest advances in the field, including a BCI that allowed a paralyzed man to work full-time from his home computer. Speakers will discuss a less invasive neuroprosthetic for more controlled movement and a new technology that successfully restored touch long term to patients with spinal cord injury.
Moderator(s):
Grégoire Courtine, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne
Presenter(s):
David Brandman, University of California, Davis
Christopher Shallal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Robert Gaunt, University of Pittsburgh
Alzheimer’s disease affects nearly seven million Americans — and that number is rising. Experts will share insights into why the disease disproportionately affects women and highlight treatment breakthroughs offering new hope for patients. Neuroscientists will also present the latest research about biological rhythms and neurodegeneration, shedding light on differences between normal aging and signs of dementia.
Moderator(s):
Sharyn Rossi, BrightFocus Foundation
Presenter(s):
Roberta Diaz Brinton, University of Arizona
Guoshi Li, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Satchin Panda, Salk Institute
Frank Raven, University of Michigan
Monday, November 17
Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonists like Mounjaro® and Ozempic® are being studied for a wide range of uses including for substance use disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Speakers will discuss the extensive effects of these medications, including adverse reactions like nausea and vomiting. Researchers will highlight how GLP-1 agonists may affect other motivated behaviors beyond eating, leading to loss of muscle mass and chronic dehydration, and what this means for future research.
Moderator(s):
Lorenzo Leggio, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Presenter(s):
James E. Blevins, University of Washington
Ali Güler, University of Virginia
Derek Daniels, University at Buffalo
Warren Yacawych, University of Michigan
Neuroscientists are exploring problems previously beyond reach with artificial intelligence (AI). Speakers will explain how they’ve used AI to facilitate communication with nonspeaking patients, pinpoint imbalances to improve gait, and predict the onset of gait freezing — a symptom of Parkinson’s disease that can cause injury or hospitalization. Researchers will also share how the brain’s own anatomy has inspired improvements to AI.
Moderator(s):
Christopher J. Rozell, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presenter(s):
Roy Ben-Shalom, University of California, Davis
Trisha Kesar, Emory University
Matthew Nelson, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jay Alberts, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Marcel Oberlaender, Max Planck Institute; Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research at VU Amsterdam
Tuesday, November 18
Experts are raising the alarm on the resurgence of unproven claims related to the causes of autism. Unverified assertions about Tylenol® usage during pregnancy and vaccines administered to infants are leading to confusion for families and distrust in science. Holden Thorp, PhD, editor-in-chief of Science, will give a perspective on the state of the field through his own experience as someone with an autism diagnosis. Clinicians and researchers will brief media on what is known about environmental contributions to autism development, share critical context around rising autism diagnoses, and present recent breakthroughs leading to earlier-than-ever diagnoses and personalized gene-editing therapies. This event is hosted by SfN in partnership with SciLine, a free service for journalists and scientists based at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Moderator(s):
Holden Thorp, Science
Presenter(s):
Shafali Jeste, University of California, Los Angeles
Jed Elison, University of Minnesota
Suma Jacob, University of California, Los Angeles
Brains vary widely from person to person, exhibiting significant differences in anatomy and connectivity patterns. Scientists will share how personalized brain maps reveal new networks and pave the way for tailored treatments for conditions like ADHD, depression, and anxiety.
Moderator(s):
Nico Dosenbach, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Presenter(s):
Gracie Grimsrud, University of Minnesota
Rodrigo Braga, Northwestern University
Alik Widge, University of Minnesota
Zach Ladwig, Northwestern University
Evan Gordon, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis