APPOINTMENT. Suzanne Dickson, a professor at the University of Gothenburg, has been elected as the new chair of the non-profit European Brain Council (EBC). The ultimate goal of the organization is to improve the lives of the estimated 179 million Europeans living with brain conditions.
“The brain is the most complex organ in the body, and it is a massive challenge to better understand its function so that the disorders and diseases affecting it can be cured. At the European Brain Council, we work with all aspects of the brain, mental and neurological conditions alike, including research into its health,” says Suzanne Dickson.
Promoting brain research
In recent years, international brain research has taken great strides with several important breakthroughs. A new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease was recently approved for use in the United States. Psilocybin, which is an active substance in psychedelic mushrooms, has emerged as a new treatment for depression. Work is now underway where researchers are developing the next generation interface for connecting the brain with computers.
“It is important to remember that progress in the field will take time and will require massive research investments and thoughtful policy decisions. As there are hundreds of brain conditions, there is an enormous amount of work ahead for brain researchers like us and for the European Brain Council,” says Suzanne Dickson.
Around half of all European residents are estimated to suffer from a brain disorder at some point in their lives. These conditions and diseases also consume a lot of society’s resources. Approximately half of the total healthcare budget goes to diagnostic and treatment of conditions and diseases that affect the brain.
The neurobiology of appetite
Suzanne Dickson is a professor of physiology with a focus on neuroendocrinology at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology. In her research, she studies the neurobiology of appetite, where she unravels neurobiological signaling pathways that drive eating behaviors. She is also secretary and board member of the European College for Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), chair of ECNP’s Workshop for Early Career Scientists in Europe, and founder and co-chair of ECNP’s nutrition network and EBRA’s BRAINFOOD cluster.
The European Brain Council is based in Brussels, Belgium.
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
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