Dr. Alik Widge is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, where he is a practicing psychiatrist and conducts research in applying neurotechnology to psychiatric disorders. Alik holds a B.A. in computer science and cognitive science from Dartmouth College, a Ph.D. in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, and an M.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Top 3 Takeaways * Alik’s work pursues the idea of nudging brain networks underlying psychiatric disorders. * Nudges are about reinstating normal emotional dynamics, rather than moving emotion to a particular regime. * Cross-training scientists and clinicians can lead to novel perspectives on psychiatric treatments. Show Notes * [1:22] Alik’s background & overview of his current work. * [2:55] Synthesizing fields impacts Alik’s approach. * [3:28] Networks and nudges. * [5:03] Regions vs. networks in neurotechnology. * [6:00] History of depression interventions. * [9:00] Biology vs. historical neurology. * [10:00] Networks of different scales. * [12:15] What does a “nudge” look like? * [15:55] Behavioral therapy & neuromodulation nudges. * [19:00] Neuroscience vs. psychiatry. * [21:00] New language in psychiatry. * [23:35] Needed changes in industry. * [26:00] Specialized chips in neural implants. * [27:20] Alik’s recent paper. Selected Links * Alik’s paper. Related Podcasts * 021 – Cory Inman * 020 – Mary Beth Henderson * 024 – Brian Pepin Disclaimer