Power in Networks
| Autor: | Nini Liu |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Liu, Nini. (2017). Power in Networks. Berkeley Scientific Journal, 21(2). Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/2kb1m2x3 |
| ISSN: | 2373-8146 1097-0967 |
| DOI: | 10.5070/bs3212035498 |
| Popis: | BRAIN INITIATIVE: POWER IN NETWORKS BY NINI LIU EXPLORING THE BRAIN INITIATIVE’S TRAJECTORY AND DOMESTIC EFFECTS T hough the brain has been deeply ana- lyzed and dissected in the past century, much of it remains a vast, unexplored terrain. In April 2, 2013, the White House launched the BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) with the goal of cre- ating innovative technologies to address, treat, and prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s dis- ease. 6 Within the last decade, the BRAIN Initiative has launched an explosion of neurotechnology in the United States, driving brain research and opening win- dows for innovative treatments. The key to this golden age in neuroscience lies in new private-public partnerships and domestic collaboration across scientific fields. The BRAIN Initiative’s goal of modeling the active brain may seem trivial to everyday citizens; however, not under- standing how our brain is wired imposes massive costs on the US economy. 4 In a 2016 report by Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the price of mental-health related conditions cost the U.S. economy $1.34 trillion dol- lars. 18 This is enough to buy approximately 1.3 trillion gi- ant Hershey’s Milk Choc- olate Bars or 30% of cars in the U.S. with- in a $22,000 price range. This amount only accounts for financial costs related to direct treat- ments, care for related physical illnesses, increased crime rates, and lost productivity in the workforce. 18 It does not factor in the indirect economic costs inflicted on caregivers or adults with mental illness that can result from lower education, wages, productivity, and home- lessness. As such, it is important to note that the initiative is not just focused on elevating neuroscience research or treating brain-related disorders, but also on alleviating far-reaching economic and social burdens that directly or indirectly affect every- day U.S. citizens. “...the price of men- tal-health related conditions costs the U.S. economy $1.34 trillion dol- lars.” The crucial nature of the BRAIN Initiative has promoted public-private partnerships, which lie at the core of revolutionizing basic research and tech- nology in neuroscience. Essentially, the BRAIN Initiative exists only due to continued investments from federal research agencies and private research institutes, compa- nies, and foundations (Figure 1). 1 Thus, SPRING 2017 | Berkeley Scientific Journal |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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