‘Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence set to help Pakistani doctors’

The use of revolutionary computer technology, artificial intelligence, simulations and graphics to study and understand the functioning of mind, brain and the nervous system is making a range of scientific and medical breakthroughs possible, experts said on Saturday.

They were speaking at the National Health Sciences Research Symposium, the Aga Khan University’s annual event.

Computer simulations and algorithms have enabled researchers to emulate the complex electrochemistry of the brain. This has resulted in new insights into mental disorders such as epilepsy – which affects two million people in Pakistan – and a range of medical innovations that is enabling children, who were born deaf, to hear for the first time and soldiers, who lost arms and legs in war, to control robotic limbs with their minds.

These were some of the observations made at the three-day conference, titled ‘Mind and Brain: Neuroscience Today and Tomorrow’, which saw specialists from around the world share scientific achievements and advances in treatment in neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry.

Speaking about the importance of neuroscience research, Dr Saad Shafqat, professor of neurology at AKU, said: “The human brain and its enigmatic product, the mind, are at the core of human identity, intelligence, character and personality. Together, their activity determines what it means to be human.”

“Diseases of the brain and mind such as epilepsy, stroke depression and schizophrenia are devastating as they alter the person as we know them. Just as studies in the 1990s on clot-busting drugs revolutionised stroke treatment, we hope the research and clinical insights shared today will lead to changes in treatment for mental, neurological and neurosurgical illnesses in Pakistan.”

Dr Ali Minai, professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Systems at the University of Cinncinati, USA, a keynote speaker at the conference, spoke about how both the brain and the computer were complex systems that used electrical activity to process information.

“Insights from the brain are already expanding the frontiers of medical and scientific knowledge. The future is even more promising as the creation of artificial intelligence or learning computers can be used to augment our bodies for a wide variety of uses from entertainment to education and even applications related to security,” he added.

Knowledge sharing through workshops at the conference enabled medical researchers and practitioners to share the latest advances in the treatment of diseases and to discuss steps that government and civil society can take to make Pakistan a more accepting society for those suffering from neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, a leading epilepsy researcher based at the AKU, spoke out about the centuries-old myth about epilepsy – still widely believed in Pakistan – that epileptics were possessed by supernatural forces and so they should be shunned or feared.

She pointed out that research had shown that only two out of 100 people in rural areas and less than three out of 10 epileptics in urban settlements were taking any medicine to control their disorder. Alarmingly, international studies estimate that 80 percent of epileptics living in developing countries still remain untreated.

“Once the family decides that epilepsy is not an illness, they either ignore the problem or take patients to quacks or faith healers,” said Dr Siddiqui. “This is unfortunate as we know that 70 per cent of epilepsy cases are well-controlled with medication. Encouragingly, the presence of new devices and surgical techniques promise an even better future for many more epileptics.”

Reinforcing the message, Dr Ayesha Mian, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at AKU, said: “Patients suffering from mental illnesses are often stereotyped as being violent, lazy or possessed. We need to stop being afraid of the symptoms and effects of mental illness and instead focus on raising awareness about the wide range of therapies and treatments available for common psychiatric disorders.”

Professor Olayinka Omigbodun, a leading psychiatrist from Nigeria, agreed and suggested that awareness had to be complemented by advocacy, sharing her experiences of overcoming obstacles in promoting the need for improved mental health services for children.

The conference was preceded by a day of workshops in which experts from the UK, US, Lebanon, Tunisia, Austria, Nigeria, Spain and Pakistan shared their expertise in neurosurgery, psychiatry and neurology with over 500 people in attendance.

The second day of the conference will focus on neuroscience and its interface with culture and society. Speakers include social activist Jibran Nasir, renowned music composer Arshad Mahmud, acclaimed actor Nadia Jamil, well-known director Jamal Shah and Café Flo owner Florence Villiers.

Sessions range from the personal nature of suffering, to the quixotic relationship between art, music, literature and the human mind. Another relevant topic set to be discussed on Sunday is the psychology and psychopathology of violence and terrorism, a highly relevant topic to Pakistan which is combating the menace of terrorism on a daily basis.