A study is currently underway to test the ability of new imaging devices to capture brain activity in real time. At the beginning of the study, we mainly investigated the effects of ketamine on brain functional connectivity before, during and after experience The new technology uses an existing brain imaging technology, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The most common form of this technique is called continuous wave fNIRS, but a more detailed and accurate iteration called time domain (TD) - fNIRS has recently been developed.
The biggest problem of time domain based functional near infrared spectroscopy (TD fNIRS) in imaging is that it usually requires large, heavy and expensive machines. This new device, called kernal flow, has been developed for several years with the goal of making TD fNIRS cheaper, lighter and easier to deploy in the natural environment.
A study published earlier this year showed that the brain activity data provided by kernal flow was not inferior to the bulky and immobile TD fNIRS system. Now, the device is being used in a feasibility study to test the effectiveness of kernal flow in measuring the brain effects of ketamine experience.
Doug Drysdale, CEO of cybin, a pharmaceutical company, said: "Kernal's flow technology is revolutionary in the field of brain imaging because it is the first easy-to-use wearable device that can collect real-time brain activity before, during and after the psychedelic drug experience. Previously, research had to rely on subjective reports from patients. By using flow, we will now be able to quantitatively collect real-time brain functional activity in the clinical and research evaluation of Psychedelic drug-based therapy.".
In addition to determining that the kernal flow device is indeed effective, this preliminary data release did not show much effect. Johnson used the device to record his brain activity five days before and five days after ketamine treatment. The results showed that the functional connections of the brain changed significantly in the days after acute ketamine treatment. Johnson said the results were similar to previous studies using more expensive neuroimaging systems to investigate the brain effects of ketamine.
Bryan Johnson, chief executive of kernal, said: "we are pleased to report the results of a longitudinal rich data set of brain activity before, during and after ketamine induced state change experience. The quality of the data recorded with flow may enable people to better understand the neurological effects of antidotes on the brain and help promote the treatment of patients with these powerful new therapies.".
The study is still recruiting participants and hopes to recruit about 15 subjects. While kernal and cybin are certainly interested in providing some new data on how the brain responds to ketamine over time, the real gain will be to show how flow devices can be used in real-world research.