Dear conference participants and visitors,

Dear conference participants and visitors, I am honored to offer these brief notes of welcome for you concerning my presentation.

Functional Seizures (FS) [also known as Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES)] are involuntary paroxysmal episodes that are frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated as epileptic seizures. Many patients with FS have a history of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse or other traumatic experiences. Cultural influences, a family code of silence, or a personal sense of shame may inhibit patient communication about their overwhelming experiences.

FS is a communication disorder in which distress is expressed somatically in a pathological way instead of an adaptive and verbal manner. A seizure-like event may provide distraction from an overwhelming situation or experience but at a terrible cost to the patient. Narrative Medicine (NM) is a communication therapy that engages and integrates the patient’s life story and overwhelming experiences through interactive conversations and writing exercises. NM helps patients work through the biographical disruption of their condition that threatens their coherent sense of self. NM helps patients communicate more effectively about unspeakable distress and discover a narrative antidote to the communication disorder of FS.

Dear 2025 congress visitors:

As the Chair, I am very honorable and pleasurable to write these welcome notes.

The current conference, the 12th Edition of International Conference on Neurology and Brain Disorders (INBC 2025), will showcase groundbreaking developments in neurology and brain science under the theme of "Innovations in Neuroscience: Bridging Research and Patient Care". The conference will offer both in-person and virtual participation options, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive experience for all attendees. As expected, it will bring together leading researchers, scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals from the neurology field around the world to discuss the latest, energizing, and innovative basic, translational, and clinical developments as well as discoveries in every facet of dementia.

More than 55 million people have dementia worldwide with that number to triple by 2050. The cost of dementia is  $1.3 trillion globally and is projected to increase to US$ 2.8 trillion by 2030 (who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/ detail/dementia). There is no cure for this disease, and the current treatments are neither specific nor always effective. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying dementia are not fully understood.

This conference will include outstanding keynote sessions, fantastic plenary lectures, invited speeches, research presentations, technical demonstrations, and panel discussions around the world. One can expect that all these latest cutting-edge presentations and demonstrations will significantly advance almost all aspects of dementia including molecular geneses, signaling pathways, cellular processes, basic and clinical technologies, new drug discoveries, clinical manifestations, laboratory and clinical diagnoses, treatment options, and predictive prognosis.

Not in the right environment to innovate and commercialize your neurological research? MOVE!

Without a doubt, recent advances in neurological research including drug delivery, genetic therapies, nanotechnology, cancer, infection, and more have revolutionized medicine over the last several decades.   But, where are the products ? While some of these wonderful advances have made it to the market helping real patients, many have not. Are we doing enough to translate neurological research into real products and benefits for humans ? Are companies not paying attention to this wonderful research ? Are Universities not doing enough to license academic research or start new companies ? What about federal funding agencies ? Are they supporting the commercialization of neurological research ? And, most importantly, are you in the right environment to commercialize your neurological research ?

Well in my own experience, above all else, it takes a supportive environment. It takes a proper mind set to translate lab research into commercial products. It takes determination and fortitude to see it through. You need to surround yourself with the right positive people – and if you are currently not around a supportive optimistic environment, leave ! Leave the University you are at - I did ! Leave that company that is stifling your advances. I did ! Once I found a truly supportive environment, I was able to not only start a company on my neurological research, but commercialize my over 25 years of University research into medical devices now in over 30,000 humans with no implant failures. No infection. No chronic inflammation. No implant loosening. No failures. No cancer. Better brain health, undoubtedly.

So I encourage everyone to find that right environment. Attend the INBC 2025 conference at the heart of innovation and commercialization ! Meet the right people ! Be energized by optimistic people ! At INBC 2025, we will not only discuss the next neurological research breakthrough, but more importantly, we will discuss how to commercialize it to help real people !

I look forward to seeing everyone !