Dr. Nasblog

11/08/2025

THE ELUSIVE ETIOPATHOGENESIS OF SCHIZOPRENIA: CURRENT THEORIES AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS: CAN NEURAL CODING PROVIDE ANSWERS.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness with positive symptoms (delusion, hallucination, disorganized speech and behavior), negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment.

To get a glimpse of what it means to be schizophrenic, I will recommend the movie “A Beautiful mind”.

The etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia has remained elusive over time, with so many theories as regards this, highlighting the complexity of the disease.

Some neuronal mechanism have been highlighted, which include;
Dopamine dysregulataion
NMDA Receptor hypofunction
Gabaergic dysfunction.

Two very disturbing symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucination ( perception, on the absence of external stimuli) and delusion (fixed, false beliefs that are not base on reality).

The mechanism of hallucination in schizophrenia is thought to involve the brain neural circuits, particularly in the auditory cortex and default mode network.

One interesting concept in the ongoing neuralink development process, which can directly be related to these features is in the concept of neural coding, where stimulating the exact neurons in the brain in the same pattern, that allows us to visualize a particular object, could potentially lead to visualization of that object, even if it is not present.

This has shown that it is possible to decode and interpret neural activity pattern associated with perception.

There may be slight individual variations as to the level of neuronal firing and pattern, which affect our individual perception. But there is a concept.

Could this be what we need in furthering our understanding of this disease, and improving our understanding of it’s remedy.

Further research into neuronal coding and its relationship with schizophrenia could potentially shed light on the underlying mechanism of the disease.

09/08/2025

NEURALINK - BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE

The nervous system functions as a complex network, transmitting information between various bodily regions and the brain, facilitating sensations, movement, vision, hearing, and speech. Damage to nerves, resulting from injury or disease, can disrupt this transmission process, leading to functional impairments. Conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) exemplify the devastating consequences of neural damage, while optic nerve damage can result in vision loss. Given the limited regenerative capacity of neurons, treatment options for such conditions are often challenging, significantly impacting the quality of life for affected individuals.

Neuralink, a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk and a team of eight scientists and engineers in 2016, is revolutionizing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with its implantable chip technology. This innovative device enables people to control external devices such as computers, robots, or prosthetic limbs using only their thoughts.

Key Features:
Telepathy: Neuralink's BCI decodes neural signals associated with thoughts, intentions, or emotions, allowing people to communicate with others or control devices without physical interaction.
Prosthetic Control*: Patients can control robotic limbs or entire robots with precision, performing fine movements with ease.
Blindsight: Neuralink's implant has shown promise in restoring vision for individuals who have lost their sight by interfacing with cameras.

The company's first human clinical trial, known as the PRIME Study, has already shown remarkable results. As of June 2025, seven people have received Neuralink implants, including individuals with quadriplegia and ALS. These patients have been able to control computer cursors, play games, and even communicate through thought-controlled speech synthesis.

Neuralink's technology has the potential to transform the lives of individuals with neurological conditions and beyond. The possibilities are endless, bounded only by human imaginations.

03/08/2025

Internet of medical things (IoMT):integrating wearables and remote patient monitoring into patient care delivery

The Burden of Chronic Diseases

The 20th century marked a significant shift from infectious diseases to chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which has continued to strain healthcare systems worldwide. This epidemiological transition has resulted in increased morbidity and mortality, rising healthcare costs, and a substantial burden on already limited healthcare resources and workforce.

The Promise of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

The emergence of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) technologies offers a promising solution to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases. By leveraging wearables and remote monitoring, patient data can be seamlessly integrated into healthcare records in real-time. AI-powered analysis of this data enables predictive insights, facilitating timely interventions and personalized care tailored to individual patient needs. This approach not only reduces the workload on healthcare professionals by minimizing physical follow-ups but also improves patient outcomes by predicting complications and enhancing patient engagement in their own care.

Market Growth and Prospects

The market is experiencing rapid growth, with a current valuation of $65.08 billion. Fueled by a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% from 2025 to 2030, the market is expected to surge to $154.74 billion by 2030. This growth trajectory underscores the increasing adoption of IoMT technologies in healthcare.

Challenges and Concerns

While IoMT offers promising solutions, it also presents new challenges. Key concerns include high implementation costs and data security risks. Significant investments are required for hardware, connectivity solutions, cybersecurity, data storage, and software updates, which can further increase the healthcare cost on managing chronic diseases. Ensuring the secure storage of sensitive health data and compliance with regional data protection laws is crucial.

30/06/2025

AI in Radiology: Reducing the Workforce or Expanding Access to Healthcare.

The Central Role of Radiology in Healthcare

The significance of radiology in healthcare isn’t an issue for debate. For me, radiology is the linchpin of healthcare delivery, with every medical specialty converging on imaging insights. The demand for radiology services far outstrips the available workforce, a challenge that affects not only developing countries but also developed nations with advanced healthcare systems.

The Global Radiology Workforce Challenge

As of 2023, the estimated number of radiologists was 345,475 globally, averaging 45 radiologists per million patients, skewed in favor of developed countries, as expected. This shortage underscores the need for innovative solutions to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

The Emergence of AI in Radiology: Complement or Replace?

With the emergence of AI tools that can analyze medical images with high precision and accuracy, augmenting the radiology workforce, concerns have arisen about the potential impact on the role of radiologists, sparking debates about whether AI will complement or replace human expertise.

Optimizing Resource Allocation and Enhancing Patient Care.

From a healthcare delivery perspective, the integration of AI tools could potentially reduce the number of radiologists needed in a facility, but not necessarily reducing the workforce. For instance, if a facility previously required 10 radiologists, AI might enable them to operate effectively with 5, optimizing resource allocation to resource-deficient areas. By leveraging AI for routine image analysis, radiologists can redirect their expertise towards more complex and high-value tasks, such as interventional radiology, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes.

Expanding Access to Healthcare

Therefore, rather than replacing radiologists, AI can actually expand access to healthcare by increasing efficiency, improving diagnostic accuracy, and enabling radiologists to focus on complex cases, ultimately benefiting patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

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28/06/2025

AI for health: Bridging the Gap in developing Countries like Nigeria.

The healthcare landscape in Nigeria is characterized by a significant imbalance between the number of patients and available doctors(1 to 10,000 as oppose, WHO recommendation of 1 to 600). This disparity leads to overwhelming workloads, reducing the quality of care and efficiency of healthcare delivery. As a practicing doctor, I have experienced firsthand the challenges posed by this ratio.

The Impact on Healthcare Delivery

When faced with a high volume of patients, healthcare providers often prioritize immediate care over thorough documentation. While this may ensure timely attention for patients, it can lead to incomplete records and compromised follow-up care. In my experience, patients seen early in the day tend to receive more comprehensive care, including detailed histories, examinations, and documentation. However, as the day progresses and fatigue sets in, the quality of documentation may suffer.

The Consequences of Incomplete Records

When patients return for follow-up visits with investigation results, incomplete records can hinder clinical decision-making. Without context, test results are rendered less useful, forcing healthcare providers to restart the diagnostic process. This not only wastes time and resources but also perpetuates a cycle of inefficiency, exacerbating the strain on an already overburdened healthcare system.

AI-Assisted Documentation: A Solution

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help alleviate the documentation burden on healthcare providers. AI-powered tools can:

- Automate note-taking: AI can transcribe patient encounters, generating accurate and comprehensive records.
- Streamline documentation: AI can assist with data entry, reducing the administrative workload.

Examples of AI Tools:

- Nuance Dragon Medical: A voice-to-text solution that helps healthcare providers document patient information efficiently.
- Suki: An AI-powered voice assistant that generates clinical notes and streamlines documentation.
- Augmedix: A platform that uses AI to generate clinical notes and provide real-time documentation support.

Benefits of AI-Assisted Documentation:

- Improved Efficiency: AI can reduce the time spent on documentation, allowing healthcare providers to focus on patient care.
- Enhanced Accuracy: AI can minimize errors and ensure comprehensive records.
- Better Patient Care: By streamlining documentation, healthcare providers can devote more time to patient care and decision-making.

Conclusion

By leveraging AI-assisted documentation, healthcare providers in Nigeria can improve efficiency, accuracy, and patient care. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, embracing innovative solutions like AI can help mitigate the challenges posed by high patient-to-doctor ratios.

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23/06/2025

The Healthcare Revolution

The history of medicine spans thousands of years, from ancient civilizations to modern breakthroughs. Key moments include: Hippocrates' foundational principles (460 BCE), the discovery of germs (Pasteur, 1861), antibiotics (Fleming, 1928), and vaccines (Jenner, 1796), to name a few.
The 21st century has seen rapid growth in the healthcare system with the advent of cutting-edge technology and Artificial intelligence.
Join me, as l explore these emerging, exciting, and mind blowing technologies in the field of medicine, using simple write-ups, video descriptions, and infographics.
Over the next six months, we will explore these areas:

- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
- Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
- 5G-Enabled Medical Devices
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
- Digital Therapeutics
- Blockchain for Health Data and Credentialing
- Precision Medicine and Genomics
- Big Data and Analytics
- Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry
- Smart Implants and Wearables
- Generative AI and Large Language Models