16 Comments
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Owen Lewis's avatar

What a year! I feel like we're just getting started.

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

2025 is going to be a ride!

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Kathy's avatar

Im getting my first, in a series, of qEEGs next week. Im counting on technology associated with brain mapping. I wish I knew everything before proceeding but I don't. I can only digest so much data by Monday😊

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

Hi Kathy, if you’re comfortable sharing, I’d like to hear more about what you’re hoping to learn from the process. Wishing you the best as you prepare for your qEEG!

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Kathy's avatar

I don't mind sharing. I have a lifetime of challenges relating to childhood ptsd and girl autism. My only real question is how much of the success is dependent on the doctor? I hope the answer is little to none. I don't know this doctor at all and have no reason to think he is deficient in some way. But I don't know him and can't research him in any meaningful way. Only his office pops when I search his name. Otherwise I think im good to go.

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot. I’m curious—what does success look like for you in this process? For example, are there specific treatments dependent on the results of the qEEG, or is this more of an exploratory step to better understand things?

I completely understand your concerns about the role of the doctor. That said, even if the team isn’t ideal, having the raw data could still be incredibly valuable, especially if you decide to seek a second opinion later. I also wonder if this type of data will one day be sharable to an LLM that is trained to help with diagnosis and treatment.

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The Labyrinth of Academia's avatar

Thanks for this overview, very interesting! Always have faith in research and well-conducted science.

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Wafaa Aldhafiri, Ph.D.'s avatar

I feel like the GLP-1 innovation is kinda cooling down and AI drug discovery is picking up. One more innovation I think was interesting last year is also organ on a chip.

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

It does seem like innovation in that space might plateau soon. Do you think we’re reaching diminishing returns with the double and triple agonists that combine GLP-1 with GIP or other pathways? I wonder if the next big leap in weight loss and body composition therapies could come from activin blockers, especially since they’re now being tested in combination therapies.

Organ-on-a-chip technology has come a long way. There are now several companies like Mimetas, AIM Biotech, and Emulate bringing commercial products to market. For me, OOC still feels more like an honorable mention until we see a breakthrough with a higher clinical or translational impact. What applications of OOC do you think are the most promising right now?

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Based If True's avatar

Can't wait to do a 100% free advertisement of this content on my YouTube Channel *beep boop*

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

I also can't wait!

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Jason Herman's avatar

I’ve heard some strong arguments against GLP-1s, especially when it comes to their use in children. However, the potential for curbing addiction seems significant. Do you see validity in any of the anti-GLP-1 rhetoric?

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

Thanks for raising this—GLP-1s definitely deserve a deeper dive, and I’ll aim to cover them in more detail in Q1.

Here are some general risks I’ve observed with GLP-1 drugs:

-Disproportionate weight loss from muscle, which can negatively affect body composition.

-Dependence and tolerance development, potentially limiting long-term efficacy.

-Weight rebound upon cessation, posing challenges for sustainable results.

-Gastrointestinal issues, which are among the most commonly reported side effects.

Despite these risks, I think they’re tolerable given the significant increase in all-cause mortality associated with obesity, which these drugs aim to mitigate.

As for pediatric use, I haven’t explored the literature deeply yet, but at face value, it seems concerning. Children are still developing metabolically, and interventions like GLP-1s may carry long-term risks that outweigh the benefits in this population. I’d need to do more research to offer a fully informed opinion, though.

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Jason Herman's avatar

Thank you for the thoughtful and measured response. I concur with the analysis. It’s a powerful treatment option, but in my opinion it could be prudent to weigh the risks and rewards for prescribing the drug off label, especially for vanity objectives and adolescents populations.

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D K's avatar

Really interesting post very informative thank you, hopefully a lot more breakthroughs to come in the future that will change lives for the better.

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David Kingsley, PhD's avatar

Yes - biotech is extremely risky, but the chance to improve the lives of people we care about make that risk worth it.

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