Magneto- and electro-encephalography (MEG/EEG) non-invasively record human brain activity with millisecond resolution, providing reliable markers of healthy and disease states. A downside of these rapidly advancing technologies is a lack of understanding the underlying neural generators, which limits their use in developing new theories of information processing or new methods for treating neuropathology. Human Neocortical Neurosolver (HNN) is a user-friendly software tool designed to bridge these macro-scale signals to the underlying cellular and circuit level activity.

The use of electrical brain stimulation for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor is well-established, and newer applications such as for intractable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and epilepsy are rapidly being developed and adopted. Nonetheless, the practical use of brain stimulation is based on empirical observations of how a very few “generic” patterns of stimulation benefit patients.

Chronic pain is the unseen giant among health afflictions, quietly eclipsing the impact of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. In America, this translates to a staggering one in five people living with this relentless condition. This rise signals an urgent call to action, as the current prospects for those suffering are far from promising: While traditional pharmacological treatment approaches are adequate for acute pain, they fall short when it comes to chronic conditions—often leading to much more invasive procedures.