What to Expect in Brain Health Research in 2015

Watch for some biomedical breakthroughs in a landmark year

by Francis Collins, M.D., AARP Bulletin, Dec. 2014/Jan. 2015

Brain Health Almanac New Thinking Alzheimer's

Brain-stimulation devices are being tested not only to treat and prevent Alzheimer's but also to improve cognition in people without dementia. — PM Images/Getty Images

Science is moving so quickly that none of us can fully anticipate today what biomedical breakthroughs might appear next year. But here are some to watch.

Human brain

A few months ago, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued its first research awards for what's been called America's next moon shot: the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. Researchers will develop innovative technologies to capture dynamic pictures that reveal how the brain's cells and complex circuits interact at the speed of thought. Then, we'll work to transform how we diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, including depression, stroke, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.