Big Brains Why We Haven’t Solved Brain Disorders—And How To Fix It, with Nicole Rust
Oct 2, 2025
Nicole Rust, a neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Elusive Cures, dives deep into the complexities of brain disorders. She critiques the traditional views that have hampered progress, advocating for a model of the brain as a dynamic system rather than a simple machine. Topics such as the limitations of antidepressants, the pitfalls of pharmaceutical strategies, and the promise of new modeling techniques shed light on the future of effective brain treatments. Rust emphasizes a balanced approach, combining innovative models with pragmatic therapies for those in need.
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Brain Is A Complex Dynamical System
- The brain is not a simple domino chain; it's a complex system whose parts interact nonlinearly.
- Nicole Rust compares it to the weather, where small changes can have large, unpredictable effects.
Model The System Before Intervening
- Shift research from seeking single broken parts to modeling whole brain systems and their fragility.
- Use models to compute how to control the system and design treatments that steer brain states back to health.
Origins And Timing Puzzle Of Antidepressants
- Antidepressants were discovered serendipitously during tuberculosis trials and later tied to chemical modulation in synapses.
- But the chemical changes happen quickly while mood improvements take weeks, leaving a major explanatory gap.
