Brain Control: Hormones to Computers

Hormones are small molecules that are produced by the glands and serve as chemical communicators between different organs in the body. They help us respond to the environment both inside and outside of us; understanding how they signal in cells has led to the development of several drugs. We will discuss, along with examples and demos, how hormones acting in the brain drive social behaviours that are common to all of us: aggression, parental behaviour, social preferences and reproductive behaviours.

Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) have been increasingly popularised as they capture imagination and paint exciting opportunities. The hype may result in unrealistic expectations about the readiness of technology, all while there is a persistent push towards BCI for both clinical and healthy applications.
An overview of BCIs and some recent advances will let us look beyond the hype. Development of new BCI-based therapies goes hand in hand with efforts to increase our understanding of brain activity and forces us to face fundamental questions about ourselves and our relationship with technology.