Q&A with James Hart of Myneurva

CEO / Partner

Principal Series:

Over the last 100 years, psychiatry has relied upon perhaps the most unreliable sources of information: the afflicted person and their doctor. From clinical interviews where patients share anecdotes with doctors watching and listening for tell-tale indicators, treatment plans – often including powerful medications – have been established. Although this methodology is highly subjective, it has long been standard protocol for managing mental health/illness.
In recent decades, research has spurred some diagnostic evolution. Numerous studies published in the world’s most prestigious medical journals share one common conclusion that has produced a shift in understanding and approach: Conditions once the focus of treatment were distinguished as manifestations of a greater underlying problem. In other words, psychiatry had only been treating symptoms while neglecting to discern and address the source of illness. Subsequently, two primary causes were identified: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). From them, some of the most common psychiatric conditions were proven to result.
Once dismissed as the lumps and bumps of “life happens,” today TBI and PTSD are recognized as legitimate, serious, physical injuries to the brain. Left untreated, TBI and PTSD are now understood to develop into depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorder, impulse control disorders, addictions, speech language problems, sleeping disorders, aggression, pain, headaches and more.
In fact, because many afflictions are byproducts of PTSD and/or TBI, until TBI and PTSD are ruled out, no other traditional diagnosis can be made. When these injuries are treated, problematic behaviors (“side-effects”) lessen or resolve.
Recently, TBI and PTSD have become “buzzwords” associated with soldiers and professional athletes. In reality, however, TBI and PTSD are both common and pervasive across all populations, ages and geographies.

In the United States alone, 1.7 million cases of TBI occur every year. Approximately 5.3 million Americans live with a disability caused by TBI. And every year, 80,000-90,000 people experience the onset of long-term or life-long disabilities associated with TBI. Annual and direct TBI costs are estimated at $48-56 billion. And, as our nation’s aging population increases, the incidence of TBI in seniors from falls is rising dramatically.

PTSD affects about 25.6 million American adults in a given year, impacting survivors not only of combat experience, but also terrorist attacks, natural disasters, serious accidents, assault, abuse, or even sudden and major emotional losses. The annual cost to society is estimated to be significantly over $42.3 billion, often due to misdiagnosis and improper treatment. In fact, up to 50% of mental health outpatients have been observed to have undiagnosed PTSD, meaning the official statistics are woefully inaccurate. PTSD has also been shown to be closely associated with cardiovascular risk.

As new technologies are developed and applied, our understanding of TBI and PTSD – and the staggering number of affected people – is growing exponentially. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of these brain injuries has become critical. Through MyNeurva, relief can become both possible and widely accessible.
As new technologies are developed and applied, our understanding of TBI and PTSD – and the staggering number of affected people – is growing exponentially. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of these brain injuries has become critical. Through MyNeurva, relief can become both possible and widely accessible.

“If you can measure it, you can manage it.” – Peter Drucker:

For over twenty years, Fred Starr M.D., FAACAP, BCIA has been performing and obtaining brain data through Quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG). Each qEEG has been meticulously categorized using subjective analysis, laboratory findings and structured psychiatric diagnostic testing.
Recognized as one of the world’s foremost brain specialists, Dr. Starr has pioneered the bridging of traditional psychiatry with the integration of patients’ own qEEG results. His innovation of “measuring” the brain and incorporating its data into diagnosis has been proven to reduce diagnostic subjectivity, while improving both accuracy and specificity.

With a collection of over ten thousand “brains,” The Advanced Neural Network Analysis (ANNA) was launched in 2014. ANNA is a novel, patent pending platform employing Artificial Intelligence to analyze qEEG data. A continually learning, prognostic, diagnostic, events and conditions analyst, ANNA leverages blockchain protocol encryption to output “brain” data into a master databank.

With every qEEG measurement performed, ANNA grows, learns and evolves, ever-refining collected data and potential diagnoses to most accurately determine PTSD, TBI and many other afflictions. With this first-of-its kind technology and the most robust bank of brain data in existence, and as the inventor and sole proprietor of ANNA, MyNeurva is uniquely positioned to profoundly disrupt and wholly transform mental health diagnostics and treatment.

Our Standard Products Group is a full-service Remote Neurofeedback Solution/AI Assisted Neuroplasticity Augmentation that harnesses the power of ANNA. This non-invasive process is commonly known as Neurofeedback, a type of biofeedback. Protocols are developed against the FDA’s approved, gold- standard database for brain function and use FDA-approved hardware and FDA-cleared software. Treatment protocols are not reliant upon symptoms, but on qEEG data which reflects the patient’s brain network activity.

All protocols are doctor-reviewed and administered by remotely situated Brain Tuners. Brain Tuners service both clinical hubs around the world and clients receiving home brain training for which modified systems are sent to the client’s residence. This fully inclusive telemedicine service is conducted via the internet: Face to face communication is achieved via video conference through the Remote System operated by our Brain Tuner or Myneurva Doctor and the client.

Treatment, called Salience/Default Coupling, is like fitness training for the brain. It focuses on the regulation of the brain’s two main networks. Dysfunction of these networks is associated with the majority of neuropsychiatric diseases. Improved regulation of these networks leads to significant improvement in functioning.

To date, these services have dramatically helped thousands of clients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorder, impulse control disorders, addictions, speech language problems, sleep disorders, aggression, pain management, headaches, and other clinical pathologies. In addition, the services are being used successfully for peak performance training among international students, pro athletes, CEOs and senior executives, engineers, doctors, lawyers, and other high-performing professionals.

Our Engineered Solutions Group is creating the process to establish FDA-approved databases based on Dr. Starr’s extensive research, clinical practice, structured analysis, laboratory findings and diagnostic testing – all of which are incorporated into the significant technological breakthrough that ANNA represents.

Myneurva is creating a paradigm shift in psychiatric diagnostics and mental health treatment. With these pending FDA-approved databases, we can establish benchmarked standards in brain measurement that make diagnosis and treatment of brain injury and disorders readily scalable. Once approved, Myneurva hubs/clinics will become akin to blood testing labs of today (Lab Corp, Quest). Doctors will fill out a form for the patient to have “brain tests” performed. The patient would then take the order to one of hundreds of our Standard Product hubs/clinics to administer the testing.

Myneurva owns the rights to over ten thousand “brains” and the data they have produced. Our business model will create one of the largest encrypted brain databases in the world. Using the information generated from our Standard Products Group and our Engineered Solutions Group, our Data Solutions Group performs customized data sampling and analyses for other companies and organizations. A patent pending blockchain protocol encryption of qEEG brain scans is creating an ever-growing vault of data that allows multiple pieces of information to be recorded along with the individual brain’s measurements. Some examples include genetics, height, IQ, health profile, preferences, addictions, afflictions, and more.