Big brain boost

The introduction of cutting-edge brain-stimulation technology at the Everbrook Brain Institute and Cognitive Clinic in Kingston is being hailed as a game-changer for advanced neurological care in the Caribbean.

The clinic and its groundbreaking technology were launched on Tuesday at the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), which provided the funds through JN Bank to finance the project. The clinic was co-founded by Dr Francene Gayle, consultant stroke neurologist and former chief medical officer at Andrews Memorial Hospital, and her husband, Dr Steve Lawrence, an expert in technology, curriculum, eLearning, AI, and research.

Located at 80 Lady Musgrave Road, in St Andrew the clinic will offer a multidisciplinary approach to care, bringing together neurologists, psychologists, and neuropsychologists to support patients with complex brain-health conditions. Integral to the facility’s services is transcranial pulse stimulation, a non-invasive technology that uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to target acoustic pulses to specific areas of the brain.

According to Gayle, the technology is expected to transform treatment for a range of neurological disorders and mental-health conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, long COVID syndrome, insomnia, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Gayle pointed to global data highlighting the urgency of improving neurological care.

“In 2024, the Lancet Neurology defined that 43 per cent of the world’s population have a neurologic diagnosis,” she shared, noting that this trend has been an increase from 18 per cent in 1990.

“Eighty per cent of the global burden of neurologic disorders rests within low- to middle-income countries. For far too long, the treatment of all of those disorders was determined by geography, meaning that in high-income countries, there were 70 times more neurologic healthcare practitioners than low- to middle-income countries.”

She related that the facility would establish the country as a regional hub for advanced neurological care.

“Everbrook is uniquely positioned because we’re not just a local clinic. We are a Caribbean beacon. We’re actually going to be a premier destination for North American patients who have not yet had access to this technology.”

Dr Gayle emphasised that research would be a major component of the clinic’s work.

DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY

“We’re building a commitment to research that is unwavering. We’re not just applying existing protocols. We’re generating new [protocols], and we’re documenting, and we will be presenting and informing because this is disruptive technology.”

She highlighted the role of Earl Jarrett, then general manager of the Jamaica National Building Society, who, in 2012, provided a grant that supported the acquisition of a plasmapheresis machine that saved many lives during the Chikungunya and Zika epidemics. Chikingunya and Zika are both triggers for Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Dr David Lowe, managing director of the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), said the DBJ was proud to support the initiative, which he described as an example of the kind of innovation Jamaica needs to advance its healthcare system.

“Every time I see something like this, I think of one more thing that makes Jamaica fall outside the traditional stereotype – a place of knowledge, of innovation, a place of possibilities,” he said.

Lowe underscored that facilities like Everbrook Brain Institute and Cognitive Clinic would bring new hope for many patients.

“By expanding access to these advanced therapies, you don’t have to go overseas. Right here, we can now bring that type of opportunity to our shores for people who are in need. It’s elevating specialised care that makes it so monumental and so important at this time. It creates so many other opportunities for other medical practitioners.”

“In a world that’s changing rapidly, we need to be competitive and solutions oriented. We have to recreate those opportunities here,” Dr Lowe stressed.

Sharing similar sentiments, Dr O’Neil Dacres, corporate relations manager at JN Bank, highlighted the significance of the clinic.

“This is an important step in expanding how neurological conditions can be treated in our beloved country. Advances in brain health are opening new possibilities for patients and families facing complex neurological challenges. The introduction of Everbrook Brain Institute and Cognitive Clinic represents an encouraging development in modern medicine, offering innovative approaches that can improve quality of life.”