I am happy to participate in the 10th Convocation of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences. I congratulate the successful and meritorious students of the institute who are being conferred degrees and diplomas in various disciplines. I complement the Faculty members for shaping the young minds and transforming them into valuable professionals. I would like to discuss with you the topic "New Challenges in Brain Research".

Contributions of NIMHANS

NIMHANS is a place of sustained excellence in neuro-sciences for more than 50 years now. What started as a mental asylum, grew into a mental hospital to a very fine healthcare centre and research institution rolled into one. NIMHANS had continuously kept pace with the advances in neuro-sciences and brain research. It has cured several hundreds of thousands of patients every year. Such a continuous stream of patients would generate clinical data base. Since inception, this would have grown to be very high in volume and I am sure would be continuously used for your advanced research. NIMHANS should be a place for removing the pain of the people. But the research results have to address finding solutions to diseases like Parkinson?s Disease, for which the cure had been eluding the researchers.

The Vision

NIMHANS has to have a vision to enter into the most difficult area such as "is there any solution for mentally challenged children". Neurons in the brain can be modeled in the supercomputers available today, they can be mapped and imaged by some of the high resolution imageries, they can be replaced by computer memories. Such capabilities which are arising out of advances in other areas such as information technology, bio-technology and nano-technology, converge and combine together to provide a technique of awesome power that only rivals the power of the Creator.

The convergence of advances in multiple disciplines of science and engineering will ultimately help the brain researchers to understand the genetic disorders. These disorders can manifest as mental disorders and create mentally challenged children. Stem cell research and gene chip application are going to play a very vital role in reversing many of the brain disorders. Can the brain researchers from NIMHANS and the young who are graduating today take it as a mission of their profession to find a long lasting solution to the problem of mentally challenged children and bring them to the mainstream. This will be a God?s Mission for you.

Can computer challenge the Brain?

Since the graduates and teachers mostly in brain research it is essential to understand the relationship between the human brain power and the incoming revolution taking place in the computer technology. For example, computer works through precise calculations and is extremely fast when it comes to quantitative numbers. The brain is extremely slow in this aspect. However, the brain can recognize speech, and remember faces better than even the best supercomputer in the world. This is because it works with more memory than computing units. The impact of the working of the brain on the computer architecture (Bio-inspired computing) and the care of the brain inspired by computing elements (computer inspired biology) would become the future in neurosciences.

Mentally Challenged Children Research

When I was associated with Anna University in Chennai some time back, apart from my teaching activities on various societal transformation missions, I was guiding a doctoral research project. The research was aimed to find integrated solution using a software, hardware application to achieve a near normal functioning of the brain of mentally challenged children. When I saw some of the mentally challenged children performing certain activities like singing, painting in Central Institute of Mental Retardation, Thiruvananthapuram, I got convinced that one day convergence of information and communication technology, medical electronics, bio-technology and mathematical simulation can find a solution for their problem. We have been studying the mentally challenged children in various research institutions, homes for mentally retarded and hospitals. We are confident that it will be possible to transform the functions of the damaged portion of the brain say left hemisphere to the normal portion right hemisphere of the brain by some triggering mechanism, or by implanting a bio-chip to carry-out those functions. This is a complex problem which needs an integrated approach involving medical scientists and technologists for a targeted permanent solution which can help children afflicted with this mental disability.

A neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain that is Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. The treatment is not amenable exclusively through a scientific diagnosis. It has to be through physiological, psychological and neurological integrated care. Now, I would like to discuss the multi-disciplinary dimensions of Schizophrenia.

Multi-disciplinary dimensions of Schizophrenia

The confusion between mind and brain has always perplexed the medical scientists. Answer to the questions like ?What is the mind?? and ?Who am I?? don?t lie in the domain of philosophers and psychologists alone. Molecular biologists and neurologists are formulating their own theories. This phenomenon leads to different types of situations. First there is a presence of energy system in the existence of a soul that enters and lives in a personality over a life-time. This eternal entity is capable of both withdrawing into a slumber and tapping the universal energy of divinity and collective consciousness for its empowerment. Second, there is heritable sensory and biological component to the personality and behavioural traits. Third, as I understand, no definitive psycho-pharmacology recommendations are available for specific groups of patients with personality disorders. However, schizophrenia needs to be prevented at primary, secondary or at tertiary levels. Even if we are not in a position to prevent schizophrenia at the primary level, we may hope to arrest the disease at the secondary level. This may be facilitated if we have a supportive socio-legal-political system. I suggest that psychologists, molecular biologists, neurologists and physiologists along with sociologists, law-makers and politicians should all work together and find appropriate interventions for facilitating recovery and rehabilitation of such patients.

Importance of love for healthy growth

Personality and mental disorders start as nearly a more than normally unbalanced state of the psyche brought about by a certain chain of circumstances or happenings from birth which varies greatly from person to person and usually commences with the phenomena known as psychological abandonment. The basics of this subject are simple. Every human being learns its first lesson of love as a baby and small child from its mother. If that did not occur, then that child will be susceptible to behavioral problems in later years because he or she has never learnt to love and cannot form a satisfactory relationship of any reasonable integrity or duration. There may be other factors but that is where it all starts. The medical technologists should mount a programme in which they should propagate the importance of preventing the feeling of abandonment among the children by their families. This can be done through their counseling and assistance programmes which they are carrying out among the patients and their families. More than treating the patient, it is important to emphasize the need for propagating love among the children, which could be carried to the neighbourhood by the suffering family members.

Harmony between physical, emotional and mental body

The personality consists of the physical body, the emotional body and the mental body. In a fully developed personality, three vehicles are synthesized into a harmoniously working unit. This means that there is an alignment of the mind and feelings so that our outer actions are expressed in a balanced manner. It is the goal of every spiritually active person to create such an integration of lower self for, it is then only with the correct alignment of forces that consistent soul contact can occur. It is essential to make the actual link between the lower and higher selves to form a rainbow bridge. This way the soul?s presence would become ever-increasing realities. Until a fairly advanced state of personal evolution is reached in which there is a fusion between the lower and higher selves, everything about the personality is either inherited or created and assumed temporarily. When the soul?s presence enters and is experienced through the physical body, a very perceptible change in our physical energy is occurred. We appear to radiate. This radiance is felt and experienced by those sensitive enough to perceive it as warmth, a loving essence, quite different from the heat of natural vitality and sensuality. Such an enlightened person emanates a distinct physical energy which is not intrusive into the space of others, but nevertheless, penetrates and most often uplifts them. I would suggest the Neuro-scientists to graduate themselves to this state of consciousness which will enable them to transmit their love and compassion to the community which will light the lamp of happiness amongst many families.

Neuronal Plasticity

I understand that by proper stimulation of brain, we should be able to regenerate the lost neuron and thereby make the brain function better. Dr. T.R. Raju, of your institute has reported that by intra-cranial self stimulation in rats, more neurons get created and it improves the learning ability and faster cure for injuries. Enriched environment is also capable of generating neurons using natural stimulation. Electrical stimulation needs insertion of electrodes in the brain and it can be highly pin-pointed. We have to resolve ethical issues for resorting to this treatment among human beings. We may also try to explore the application of electro-magnetic stimulation non-invasively to stimulate the dormant neurons of the specific brain areas. Use of stem cells, neuronal transplantation and nerve growth factors may also be considered. I suggest intensive research should be carried out in this area for finding early solutions to treat mentally challenged patients through a multi-pronged approach. My research scholar is exploring the above possibilities and we see light on the other side of the tunnel.

Pineal Research ? a key to solve many problems

I am happy to know about the initiatives and research activities of NIMHANS in molecular and cellular neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, neurovirology, systems neuroscience, theoretical neuroscience and computational neuroscience. One of the interesting areas for Indian scientists would be researching the Body-Mind-Spirit connection to understand a large dimension of consciousness. This would involve researching the Pineal Gland or the Pineal System. Philosophically viewed as a ?sphincter to control the flow of thought? or ?seat of the soul? and scientifically recognized as an active endocrine gland or neuro-endocrine transducer organ, the Pineal involvement in cycles of growth and development during the life span has long been recognized. Pineal holds the key to find out solutions for many health problems. Pineal?s influence on other endocrine glands as ?a regulator of regulators? and its role in immune response, thermoregulation and mediation of various biological cycles such as regulation of sleep and physiological adaptations to the environment, are being studied. Research indicates that pineal involvement in mental health may go beyond psychosis and that the Pineal plays a significant role in the manifestation of several mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and affective disorders. The link between Pineal dysfunction and suppressed immune response, and its characteristics such as sensitivity to variations in environmental light and electromagnetic influences, are the few areas which need extensive research. I also believe that there is a vast scope for Indian scientists to focus their research activities on the most significant aspect of pineal functioning, that is it?s role as the interface of mental and spiritual facets of the self with the physical body.

Global participation in brain research

According to an estimate of World Health Organisation (WHO), brain disorders would be the greatest public health threat in the next few decades to come. A comprehensive human brain project is required to be progressed for tackling different diseases such as depression, sleep disorders, epilepsy, schizophrenia etc. with global participation from many countries. The project should aim at preparing a comprehensive structural and functional map of human brain and facilitate convergence of all activities pertaining to brain research in the Centre. This is indeed a challenging task which requires active participation and effective contribution of research institutions like NIMHANS, government agencies, academia and entire medical fraternity.

Epilepsy Research

Incidence of epilepsy in the country is fairly high. Present treatment for epilepsy using surgical or pharmacological control and management of the episodes involves quietening the hyperactive parts of the brain neurons. Is it possible to locate the specific focal point responsible for the seizure through neural imaging by MRI or Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scientists working in nano-technology can work with brain researchers to develop a small device which can be implanted in the brain close to the focal point which can buffer spurious high intensity spikes can create a near normal brain function and thereby improve the quality of life of these patients. Can we target specific nano-tracers to the epileptic foci to carry out a similar function? It is a quite challenge which the centre can consider.

Cerebral functions in HIV

HIV is emerging as a major healthcare concern. Scientific evidence exists to indicate the relationship between HIV and cognitive functions of the brain such as memory, learning etc. Neuroscientists may need to address the pathophysiology of cerebral dysfunction in HIV positive cases. It will be worthwhile to explore the therapeutic potentials of indigenous systems of medicine including the herbal approach to circumvent the adverse effects of HIV on neuronal functions. This will be possible because of the multidisciplinary networking systems created by NIMHANS through its worldwide connectivity.

Deriving behavioral and aptitude pattern

The complex nature of brain functioning engulfs in itself answers to many problems that need to be fully understood for human development. The structural and functional mapping of human brain would help in scientific analysis of human behaviour. During my recent visit to Switzerland I saw the researchers in Brain and Mind Lab (EPFL) , Lusanne working on such a mapping. Through rigorous and extensive research findings, if it becomes possible to analyze behavioral tendencies and derive an inclination or aptitude pattern of a person, especially at an early age, it will help the person to opt for that field or area, for optimum utilization of the human potential and talent. It will also enable early detection of negative emotions and projection of concealed destructive tendencies in a child, which can be dealt by providing various clinical and psychological treatments and ensuring a conducive atmosphere for strong physical and mental growth of the child. Such balanced and healthy development of one?s emotional intelligence will lead to evolution of a truly enlightened citizen. Hence, I would suggest NIMHANS to undertake research programme to determine the correlation between clinical data and the performance of individuals in different activities. Such data over a period of time can culminate in evolving a battery of tests which can be used by the schools and social organizations for guiding the children towards their appropriate career path.

Conclusion

NIMHANS is a unique institution, engaged in developing human resource and medical research. Availability of a powerful combination of clinical sciences with basic and applied science in one institution is the core-competence of NIMHANS. The institute has harmoniously addressed both local needs and national priorities, while partnering with professionals from within the country and abroad. The reputation enjoyed by NIMHANS is an ideal launch pad for the passing out graduates entering into a new career with a self-designed trajectory.

Graduation indeed a time to celebrate the recent past. It is a culmination of your hard work, dedication and determination. This is the time we must think of the future. You should introspect, redefine your goals and consider how your individual aspirations can lead to the collective good of our fellow citizens. All of you must ask yourself a question "what will I be remembered for". This question will enable you to set your long term goal and work for it.

Once again let me congratulate all the graduates passing out from this institute today and my best wishes to the members of NIMHANS in their mission of creating healthcare professionals with state-of-the-art knowledge, nobility and compassion. May God bless you.

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