CHICAGO — From October 5–9, thousands of neuroscientists from across the globe will convene in Chicago for the first time since 2019. Neuroscience 2024, the world’s largest annual meeting of researchers and clinicians exploring the brain and nervous system, will feature more than 10,500 presentations covering topics such as brain-computer interfaces, artificial intelligence, neurodegenerative disorders, treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders, and GLP-1 agonist effects on the brain.
All press-exclusive events and much of the scientific programming will be livestreamed and recorded. Media registrants will have access to all meeting abstracts via the online meeting planner, opportunities to connect with expert neuroscientists, and endless inspiration for breaking news, features stories, podcasts, book chapters, and more.
What: Neuroscience 2024, the world’s largest source of emerging news on brain science and health
When: October 5–9
Where: McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL, and online
Media are invited to apply for complimentary registration to Neuroscience 2024. Registration includes exclusive access to press conferences and briefings, an interview room, and a shared workspace with complimentary refreshments. View SfN’s credentialing policy.
Program Highlights:
Neuroethics Lecture: Mixing Brains and Computers
Support contributed by: David Kopf Instruments
Tuesday, October 8, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
- In this lecture, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, PhD, JD, of Harvard Medical School will highlight the latest in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), including how these technologies are being used to effectively manage treatment-resistant movement, seizure, and psychiatric disorders. As BCIs expand into everyday tasks, such as interacting with smartphones, this lecture will cover the challenges and opportunities of the nascent BCI era.
What Does a Large Language Model Know?
Saturday, October 5, 5:15–6:30 p.m.
- Could an agent with an artificial mind be intelligent, and if so, what could it know? Laurie A. Paul, PhD, of Yale University will discuss the scope of artificial intelligence that can be reached by large language models (LLMs) and how it is related to the more ordinary sort of knowledge exhibited by human beings.
Unveiling the Nexus of Innate Immunity and Alzheimer’s Disease
Monday, October 7, 5:15–6:30 p.m.
- Innate immunity plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nancy Y. Ip, PhD, of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will describe the interplay between genetic predisposition, environmental influences such as aging, and immune function, to unravel the processes of AD development. Dr. Ip will present a roadmap for therapeutic advancements for AD based on the multifaceted impact of immune function.
Dialogues Between Neuroscience and Society
Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.–noon.
- Susan Magsamen’s work lies at the intersection of science, art, and aesthetic experiences. Her presentation will explore neuroaesthetics, the study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the brain and body, and how to translate this knowledge into practices that advance health, well-being, learning, flourishing, and community development. The science of the arts is no longer a far-fetched idea but a tangible reality with groundbreaking research and practical applications emerging at an unprecedented pace.
The Heart and Mind of Anxiety and Anhedonia: A Frontal Lobe Perspective
Wednesday, October 9, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
- Anxiety and anhedonia (loss of pleasure) are major symptoms of psychiatric and neurological disorders with highly variable treatment outcomes. Angela C. Roberts, PhD, of the University of Cambridge will highlight their multiple aetiologies within prefrontal and anterior cingulate circuits and discuss new insights into antidepressant treatment variability.
Liftoff: Neuropsychiatry With Functional MRI Comes of Age
Monday, October 7, noon–1 p.m.
- The ‘Era of Big Data’ and decades of functional MRI (fMRI) research have ignited a series of transformative breakthroughs that have reshaped the fundamental understanding of the brain’s functional neuroanatomy — unveiling intricate cortical systems previously unknown. Damien A. Fair, PhD, of the University of Minnesota will highlight how these revelations led to a new understanding of developmental processes and mental health disorders and how they provide personalized therapeutic targets for several neuromodulation strategies.
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The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 35,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system.