Co-Founder Caitlin Baltzer and CSO Dr. Benjamin Dunkley sat down with host Nick Mercer to discuss the power of MEG technology, research on the impact of concussion in sport, and what the future holds for MYndspan.

Listen to us on the Concussion Talk Podcast!

MYndspan’s Advisor and former professional hockey player Dr. Karolina Urban talks to TSN’s Michaela Schreiter and Robyn Flynn about how her own sports concussion led her to become a neuroscientist. Talking to She’s Got Game she speaks about partnering with MYndspan to build a concussion tool that looks at athletes actual brain activity as a measure of injury to determine when it’s safe to return to play with the aim to help athletes avoid going back to play prior to fully healing – something she has first hand experience with.

MYndspan Advisor Dr. Karolina Urban talks to TSN’s She’s Got Game about the concussion gender data gap

We are delighted to appoint Dr. Ben Dunkley as our Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Previously sitting on our Scientific Advisory Board, Ben is an internationally recognised neuroscientist leading a cutting-edge research program to define the ‘invisible injuries’ of the brain, such as concussion and PTSD. 

In this Q&A Ben shares his insights into brain health, and delves into the science and motivations behind MYndspan’s brain technology.

How do we currently look at brain health?

Through years of science and technology innovation, we are equipped, more than ever, with multiple ways to take health and wellness into our own hands. Wearable technologies such as smartwatches help people track physical fitness and sleep, mobile applications help measure and track mental health, and online services provide personalized health support.

However, whilst we can seemingly optimize every aspect of our wellbeing, we often neglect brain health – which is reflected in why we think, feel or act the way we do, and how we age. This is where MYndspan comes in.

The brain works by sending rapid electrochemical signals between neurons that tell your body to move your hand, control your breathing, or feel an emotion. 

Using a non-invasive brain scanning technology called magnetoencephalography (MEG), we can measure the electrical signals between neurons and form a detailed map of brain activity and function. Using MEG, we can then identify and observe functional injuries to the brain, such as concussion or PTSD, or conditions like depression and anxiety, which can’t be seen from an MRI image of the brain. 

MYndspan’s vision is better brain health for everyone. By using MEG technology, we enable people to track their brain health over time, so they can optimize their own health and recovery. 

The MYndspan service consists of a 10 minute MEG scan, which measures underlying brain activity, and a selection of specially designed iPad ‘brain games’ to measure cognitive function. The results are collated into individualized reports that provide a comprehensive overview of brain health and actionable insights – showing not just the output of your brain, but the underlying brain activity that produces it. The MEG scan is passive, non-invasive and painless – and your personal brain health report is ready in a couple of hours.

At MYndspan we believe that everyone deserves to have answers about what is going on inside their head – in much the same way they might want to understand heart health.  

And insights into brain health can be useful. For instance, people who play contact sports often have to make decisions about when to return back to play following a concussion, but they usually do it based on a subjective assessment about how they feel. Having a measure of brain health enables athletes to track their recovery with real data and return to play at the optimum time, limiting further damage to their brain, and their career. 

Outside of an injury or illness, MYndspan provides people with data so they can track and optimize their own brain health, with the goal to help identify and treat health issues before symptoms occur, and to provide insights into how lifestyle practices like meditation, mindfulness, exercise or dietary changes can help to improve brain health.

Poor brain health costs the world $2.5 trillion annually. MYndspan aims to help people understand and optimize their brain health – to extend the healthy lifespan of the mind. 

By helping people understand what their brain is doing, and why it’s doing it, we hope to improve awareness and accessibility around brain health – so people can make informed decisions about their lifestyle habits and therapeutic choices, where appropriate. 

We’re in the infancy of our journey, but we are determined to deliver a solution that will help everyone have access to better brain health.

Learn more about Dr. Ben Dunkley and MYndspan.

A Q&A with MYndspan’s CSO, Dr. Ben Dunkley

MYndspan launches the world’s first consumer brain imaging service to objectively measure and assess brain health, using brain connectivity. MYndspan’s brain scanning technology identifies concussion, helping the 3.8 million athletes that experience sports-related concussion annually. The commercial service launches at Aston University’s Institute of Health & Neurodevelopment with neuroscientist and author Dr. Dean Burnett, and Vicky Macqueen, former England Rugby player and CEO of Didi Rugby. 

[LONDON, MARCH 15, 2022] MYndspan, the world’s first objective brain imaging service to use brain connectivity to measure and assess brain health, announces its commercial launch at Aston University’s Institute of Health & Neurodevelopment. 

Founded in 2020 by Caitlin Baltzer, ex- VP of Operations at functional brain imaging company Croton Healthcare, and Janne Huhtala previously CEO of MEGIN, the global leader in functional brain imaging, MYndspan was created to support brain health across populations – using cutting edge brain scanning technology to monitor and extend healthy cognitive lifespans.

The brain imaging service – powered by a non-invasive brain scanning technology called Magnetoencephalography (MEG) – measures the electrical signals between neurons to form a highly detailed map of brain activity and function. MEG identifies and observes functional ‘invisible injuries’ to the brain, such as concussion or PTSD, that can’t be seen from an MRI image of the brain. 

MYndspan’s service combines MEG scans with gamified tests of cognitive function, which measure a range of mental processes such as attention, memory, and visuospatial processing. Using these two measures of brain health – cognitive function and brain function – MYndspan provides a comprehensive overview, detailed in a thorough, easy-to-understand report, of how a person’s brain is behaving, and why.

MYndspan kicked off their service at Aston University with their first customers:

Neuroscientist and author Dr. Dean Burnett, who is using MYndspan to monitor the effect increasing physical activity has on his brain health, over time

Vicky Macqueen, former England Rugby player and CEO of didi rugby, who is using the service to measure her pre-concussion baseline for playing contact sports safely.

World’s first objective concussion assessment using brain connectivity:

MYndspan’s first application is concussion, where their cutting-edge technology can support the recovery of the estimated 3.8 million athletes that experience sports-related concussion annually. The company provides athletes with a pre-season measure of brain health which is used as a baseline to compare against after a concussion, in post-incident rehabilitation. This objective data – collected non-invasively – helps athletes track their recovery and return to play at the optimum time, limiting further damage to their brain, and their career. 

After successful pilots at SickKids Hospital, Toronto and The University of Helsinki, MYndspan’s service will be available to the general public for the first time at Aston University Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), an international leader in advanced technology to explore brains, development and healthy behaviours. MYndspan’s scans will equip people with knowledge of their brain health, supporting disease prevention and neurological research into biomarkers of disease. 

MYndspan co-founder Caitlin Baltzer comments: “The brain is hugely complex and exciting, and whilst there is a vast body of research and knowledge already available, there is still so much for us to learn about how it functions and changes over time. In a world where we can track and optimise every part of our health, and our lives, the brain remains neglected. At MYndspan, we believe that every person has the right to better brain health, and think athletes deserve to have objective information about where they are in their recovery, to make the best and most informed decisions.”

Dr. Dean Burnett, neuroscientist and author, including of the Guardian blog ‘Brain Flapping’, comments: “I’m a big proponent of anything that helps people understand their brains better, and MYndspan’s new high-tech but easily accessible approach looks to be extremely useful in that regard. My own physical and mental health and fitness took a big hit during lockdown, and I turn 40 this year, so for the first time in my life I’m working hard to fix that. But as a scientist, I’m very keen on gathering data and tracking it, to show my progress. MYndspan offers the perfect opportunity to assess how my brain is doing too, which is ideal for me.

To mark their commercial launch, MYndspan is offering free brain scans for a limited time only.

To find out more about MYndspan, please visit: https://r21.2ff.myftpupload.com/

1https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/brain-neurological-conditions/concussion-athletes-neurosport

2https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/brain-injury-awareness#:~:text=There%20are%20more%20than%205.3,one%20in%20every%2060%20people.

MYndspan launches solution to measure and assess brain health

MYndspan’s own Dr. Benjamin Dunkley contributed to the very first systematic review of MEG studies focused on adult concussion. The study by Christopher Allen et al. identifies biomarkers with the potential to diagnose concussion and capability to predict and monitor Concussion Recovery over time. The study concludes that verifying MEG’s potential as a concussion biomarker would help meet an urgent clinical need within civilian, sports and military medicine – something MYndspan is passionate about helping to facilitate.

MYndspan’s Advisor Dr. Benjamin Dunkley contributes to historic review of concussion studies

Co-Founder Caitlin Baltzer, and Advisory Board Members Dr.’s Ben Dunkley and Karolina Urban talk to CTV News about MYndspan’s concussion study (formerly RENITA Medical) which aims to close the gender data gap and build a concussion tool that takes biological sex into account.

MYndspan and SickKids Hospital partner to help close the concussion gender data gap

Co-Founder Caitlin Baltzer sat down with host Dr. James Somauroo to discuss how MYndspan is empowering people with rich information about their brain function, providing measurable insights into brain health and helping to identify meaningful changes over time.

Listen to our co-founder Caitlin Baltzer on the Healthtech Podcast!

[LONDON, 7TH DECEMBER 2022] MYndspan, a brain and wellness analytics company has collaborated with award winning cognitive health provider Re:Cognition Health. Together they will provide up to 2,000 patients a year with MYndspan’s technology, at Re:Cognition Health’s London clinic, to support informed data-led decisions into their health.

The 45-minute service – during which a user simply sits in a chair, with their head in a scanner – is powered by a non-invasive scanning technology called Magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG measures the electrical signals between neurons to form a highly detailed map of brain activity, and is used alongside app-based games to test cognitive function like attention and memory. Within 24 hours of having a scan, MYndspan sends people a personalised, easy-to-understand report of their brain health – helping individuals assess how lifestyle factors (such as sleep, exercise and diet) impact their brain.

Re:Cognition Health supports over 2,000 patients and specialises in cognitive health conditions like Autism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s, concussion and other traumatic brain injuries – providing them with bespoke diagnostic assessments and treatment plans to help manage and optimise their brain and mental health. With MYndspan’s technology, these patients will have access to detailed data about their brain health, and how it might have improved in response to treatment.

Wearable devices are increasing the accessibility of measurable health data – such as step count, sleep patterns and heart rate – empowering people to make their own guided health choices, however, brain health is often ignored. People have very limited tools to understand their brain health in the same way, with assessments based on subjective symptom measurements, such as how a person feels.

1 in 6 people will develop a neurological condition during their lifetime and 1 in 4 adults will experience poor mental health, yet diagnosing, treating and monitoring neurological conditions can be challenging. Not only are symptoms alike across many neurodegenerative disorders and mental health conditions, but the diagnostic assessment of these conditions is mostly based on subjective verbal assessments and measures of cognitive function like reaction speed or short term memory. MYndspan’s technology measures brain activity, providing users with measurable insights into their brain health, and helping to identify meaningful changes over time – even before early symptoms emerge.

Research shows that early intervention can delay progression of neurological diseases. Being able to identify changes in the brain, at an earlier stage, can support people to make informed decisions about their brain health – such as seeking medical intervention earlier to delay the progression of neurological diseases.

For patients wanting to learn more about their brain health – or worried about their risk factors for neurological diseases – this new collaboration will allow people to access their personal brain data for the first time, empowering them to take their brain health into their own hands.

Dr Emer MacSweeney, CEO of Re:Cognition Health Ltd and Consultant Neuroradiologist says:

“Re:Cognition Health is thrilled to collaborate with MYndspan, to include MYndspan’s advanced functional brain scanning, using MEG technology, in our

The brain is the most complex object on the planet and our ability to diagnose, treat and monitor conditions affecting the brain and mind, is only as good as the technology we can deploy to analyse it. MYndspan’s data-driven quantification of brain health using MEG technology is ground-breaking.

Our Brain and Mind Experts at Re:Cognition Health are confident MYndspan’s data-led insights will not only help to inform the care we provide for our patients, but also empower individuals with their own data. A better understanding of subtle functional changes in the brain, detected only by MEG imaging, will ideally improve how we protect and manage our brain health.”

Caitlin Baltzer, Cofounder and COO of MYndspan says:

“We’re proud to collaborate with Re:Cognition Health - an award winning and world class brain and mental health clinic - and a team that is so aligned with our vision of bringing objective data to the brain and mental health fields.

A pivotal aspect of our mission has always been to empower individuals with their own brain data and being able to achieve this with the support of Re:Cognition Health - who value and understand the power of functional data - is an exciting milestone. Our collaboration will enable an exchange of our services to both our customers, meaning that MYndspan’s customers will also have access to a clinical neurological pathway should they need one.

We’re only one piece within the brain health wellness pathway but we want to ensure our clients are taken care of every step of the way. We’re delighted to work with the Re:Cognition Health team to ensure together that there are no gaps in understanding and taking care of one's brain and mental health.”

MYndspan will be launching their own brain scanning site in London early 2023. Register for a free brain health assessment in Birmingham or join the London waitlist:

https://ugqaihh1sul.typeform.com/to/e74MxpYN

MYndspan and Re:Cognition Health to transform access to brain health care

British start-up Clerkenwell Health, Europe’s first commercial psychedelic clinical trials facility, and brain wellness and analytics company MYndspan, are partnering to advance the application of psychedelics in medicine.

Psychedelics researchers running trials at Clerkenwell Health’s new London site will have access to MYndspan’s non-invasive brain scanning technology.

This first-of-its-kind partnership will give researchers unprecedented insight into the impact of psychedelics on the human brain.

This partnership helps cement London’s position at the heart of Europe’s nascent psychedelics medicine sector.

[London UK, April 25th 2023] Commercial trials for psychedelics-assisted medical treatments will now have access to state-of-the-art brain scanning technology thanks to a new all-London partnership announced today.

Clerkenwell Health, who opened Europe’s first commercial psychedelic clinical trials facility in London last Autumn, have partnered with MYndspan, brain wellness and analytics technology pioneers, to give medical researchers direct access to MYndspan’s magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain scanning technology.

This is thought to be the first time that commercial MEG scanners have been made available for use in commercial clinical trials to support pharmaceutical development.

MYndspan’s technology will provide unprecedented levels of accuracy in monitoring a participant’s brain activity and function (both before and after taking psychedelic drugs) as part of trials run at Clerkenwell Health’s central London facility.

Placing London at the heart of medical psychedelics innovation

Psychedelics work by altering neural networks in our brains – the first of its kind partnership will help understand this link definitively, and provide insights into the complex ways in which psychedelic treatments affect the brain. Globally there 81 upcoming clinical trial completions in 2023, of which 46 are commercially sponsored or affiliated.

This new partnership will provide Clerkenwell Health’s clients with valuable new information for understanding the mechanisms of action of the drugs they are developing, and their effectiveness.

This will be crucial in furthering the understanding of the role of psychedelics in tackling a range of complex mental health and neurological conditions – like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – for the pharmaceutical companies running clinical trials from Clerkenwell’s facility.

The partnership firmly places London at the heart of Europe’s nascent medical psychedelics sector, and Clerkenwell’s establishment of their European-leading commercial facility in the capital.

Tom McDonald, Chief Executive at Clerkenwell Health, said:

“We’re on a mission to transform treatment for mental health conditions, and our world-first partnership with MYndspan is another critical step toward delivering on that mission.

“This collaboration in the heart of London provides our clients with both a sophisticated facility in which to test their drug’s effectiveness, alongside world-class technology that allows for real-time assessment of how these drugs – combined with therapy – can treat mental health conditions plaguing millions of people worldwide.” 

Caitlin Baltzer, Cofounder and COO at MYndspan, said:

“With our quick and accurate scanning technology, we are demystifying brain health. Our data helps people understand how treatments, such as psychedelics, affect their brain activity and underlying neural circuitry, which is critical to understanding and treating brain and mental health conditions.

“We’re delighted to partner with an organisation aligned with us on revolutionising the treatment of brain and mental health. London is fast becoming a world-class hub for neuroscience and Europe’s medical psychedelics sector – we’re excited to be part of it, and look forward to future discoveries and collaborations!”

The news of the partnership follows the first clinical trials at Clerkenwell’s London facility being given the green light by the MHRA, and having kicked off in 2023.

Clerkenwell has signed agreements with Canadian and US-based drug developers such as Mindset Pharma and PharmAla Biotech, to test treatments that could treat a range of complex mental health conditions, including social anxiety in those affected by autism spectrum disorder, nicotine addiction and major depressive disorders.

Brain scanning technology to be used for clinical psychedelics trials in pioneering London start-up partnership

A new London concussion clinic will provide public access to sophisticated brain scanning technology for the first time.

Trauma and concussion patients can now access detailed insights into the impact of the injury on their brain health. These insights can be used to monitor and accelerate their recovery.

The clinic is operated by brain and mental health experts Re:Cognition Health, in collaboration with brain wellness startup MYndspan.

Each year, 1.4 million people attend emergency departments in England and Wales with a traumatic brain injury.

A new concussion clinic launched by cognitive health provider Re:Cognition Health – in collaboration with brain and wellness analytics company MYndspan –  will now provide patients with access to state-of-the-art brain scanning technology for the first time.

With concussion incidents rising in the UK, the clinic’s technology and team of brain health experts will identify, monitor and treat brain trauma in members of the public more effectively than has ever been possible before.

Concussion accounts for 1.2% of all emergency department visits in England and Wales, with many more incidents going unreported. Severe cases can have long-term impact on mood, cognition and physical wellbeing. Repeated concussion, most commonly experienced by athletes, has been linked to a higher risk of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

Earlier identification and ongoing monitoring are essential to reducing the risk of long-term consequences.

Transforming outcomes for brain trauma patients

After an initial assessment at Re:Cognition Health’s London centre, patients can be referred to MYndspan’s Birmingham scanning site to undergo a brain scan and assessment.

The scan will be carried out using Magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology, a non-invasive procedure that has previously only been available to research participants and in clinical settings.

MEG scans measure electrical signals between neurons to form a highly detailed map of brain activity. Analysis of the patient’s scan is coupled with data from app-based tests of cognitive functions (including attention and memory) to produce a report detailing the complete picture of their brain health.

From this data, the patient is provided with a personalised treatment plan, involving follow-up checks and consultations with Re:Cognition Health’s expert clinicians.

Dr Steve Allder, Consultant Neurologist at Re:Cognition Health, comments:

“Re:Cognition Health is thrilled to launch the concussion pathway to empower patients to manage their treatment and optimise recovery. Head injury and concussion are a growing concern in the UK and we are proud to be at the forefront, providing leading-edge diagnostics and treatment pathways to help patients with their brain health. We are also  passionate about continuing our mission in raising awareness about the risks of concussion and providing information to help reduce the risk, particularly in contact sports.”

Caitlin Baltzer, Co-founder and COO at MYndspan comments:

"As a UK-based company, we are proud to be at the forefront of translating the world-leading research base in neurotechnology into tangible benefits for people with brain injuries. The clinical promise of MEG in managing mTBI has been well-documented, and we are excited to help people along their treatment pathways, demonstrating the UK's continued leadership in this field.

Concussion has long been considered the silent epidemic, and it poses a significant challenge for those who suffer due to the lack of objective assessments. Re:Cognition Health is rising to this challenge, and the team is committed to supporting those who suffer from post-concussive syndrome where traditional healthcare pathways struggle. Working with countless athletes, Re:Cognition Health has seen firsthand the impact of concussion on people’s lives – we are proud to champion them as they pioneer this next phase in brain health and its treatment."

Landmark moment for brain trauma patients: new concussion clinic set to transform patient recovery

Did you know that PTSD and Concussion have substantially overlapping symptoms? It makes diagnosis very difficult, yet it’s important because they have such different treatment pathways. However, while the symptoms overlap, the underlying brain activity is different between the two injuries, and MYndspan’s very own Dr.’s Jing Zhang, PhD and Benjamin Dunkley have written the first study to employ MEG (a brain scanner that maps brain activity with millimetre and millisecond accuracy) to reliably differentiate the two! This demonstrates the potential of using ‘invisible’ Brain Activity to understand and differentiate these two debilitating conditions.

MYndspan Advisors Dr. Jing Zhang and Dr. Benjamin Dunkley lead landmark study showing PTSD and Concussion can be reliably differentiated by brain activity alone

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