University of Haifa

Two types of experiences affect the behavioral skills of animals: the animal's environment during its early development and acquired experience. Researchers followed Egyptian vultures during migration, a critical and challenging period for them, and investigated how their flying skills developed by examining their performance using high resolution tracking. Two types of experiences affect the behavioral skills of animals: the animal's environment during its early development and acquired experience. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's researchers followed Egyptian vultures during migration, a critical and challenging period for them, and investigated how their flying skills developed by examining their performance using high resolution tracking. Their findings were published in the journal Current Biology last month. The flight skills of two groups of birds of the species Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), a long-distance soaring raptor, were assessed using GPS transmitters for 127 autumn migrations of 65 individuals. The two groups were quite different in terms of their early life experiences: one group was raised in captivity and the other in the wild. The birds in both groups improved their flight and migration performance as they gained experience. However, the improvements observed were most evident for vultures raised in captivity. During their first migration, the captive-bred birds were less efficient but were able to catch up with the migration performance of those raised in the wild as early as the second migration. Thus, the experience gained helped offset the shortcomings of their early life experience at an early stage. Just as it is harder for humans to learn a language in old age, the vultures that hatched in captivity and were set free at a later age found it difficult to learn the necessary flying and roaming skills, but eventually caught up with those that learned earlier. "We were able to generate data on the vultures' migration and flying skills. The data made it possible to learn about the value of early experience and acquired experience and their impact on the ability of birds to cope with challenging periods such as migration," explained Dr. Ron Efrat, one of the lead investigators, who recently completed his doctoral studies in the laboratoryof Prof. Oded Berger-Tal of theJacob Blaustein Institutes forDesert Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "It seems that birds, like humans, are also affected by their life experience," he concluded. The research group included: Prof. Nir Sapir from the University of Haifa, Prof. Thomas Mueller from Frankfurt University, and the Senckenberg Research Center in Germany, and Ohad Hatzofe, Bird Ecologist of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. This study was supported by the German Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF), grant number I-1465-413.13.2018. In addition, Ron Efrat was supported by the Adams Fellowship of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia than adults without ADHD, according to a new study. The study followed more than 100,000 older adults in Israel over 17 years to examine if adults with ADHD are at increased risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia than adults without ADHD, according to a Rutgers study. The study, coauthored by Michal Schnaider Beeri, director of the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer's Research Center at Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) was published in JAMA Network Open. It followed more than 100,000 older adults in Israel over 17 years to examine if adults with ADHD are at increased risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Although more than 3 percent of the adult population in the United States has ADHD, there is limited research on this group. "By determining if adults with ADHD are at higher risk for dementia and if medications and/or lifestyle changes can affect risks, the outcomes of this research can be used to better inform caregivers and clinicians," said Beeri, the Krieger Klein Endowed Chair in Neurodegeneration Research at BHI and a faculty member of the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. Using data from a national cohort study of more than 100,000 people who were followed from 2003 to 2020, researchers analyzed those with and without ADHD and the occurrence of dementia among the groups as they aged. Researchers found the presence of adult ADHD was associated with a significantly higher risk of dementia even when other risk factors for dementia were taken into account, such as cardiovascular conditions. ADHD in adults may materialize as a neurological process that reduces the ability for them to compensate for the effects of cognitive decline later in life, researchers said. "Physicians, clinicians and caregivers who work with older adults should monitor ADHD symptoms and associated medications," said Abraham Reichenberg, a professor at the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and senior author of the study. "Symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity in old age shouldn't be ignored and should be discussed with physicians," said Stephen Levine, a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa. Additionally, the research suggests ADHD treatment incorporating psychostimulants may help reduce the risk of dementia in adults with ADHD as psychostimulants are known to modify the trajectory of cognitive impairment. But researchers said future studies should examine in more detail the impact of medications in patients with ADHD and how they could affect risk. Other coauthors of the study include Anat Rotstein and Galit Weinstein of the University of Haifa; Arad Kodesh of the University of Haifa and Meuhedet Health Services; Sven Sandin of the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden; and Brian Lee of Drexel University.

BURLINGTON, Mass. and JERUSALEM, May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brainsway Ltd. (NASDAQ & TASE: BWAY) (“BrainsWay” or the “Company”), a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders, today announced the appointment of Ido Marom, an experienced senior financial leader in global industries, including medical technology, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Marom will succeed Scott Areglado, who will be stepping down from the Company to pursue other opportunities. “We are thrilled to welcome Ido and his extensive financial expertise to BrainsWay,” stated Hadar Levy, BrainsWay’s Chief Executive Officer. “He has led the financial strategy and infrastructure for both emerging and large companies. Importantly, Ido has developed successful revenue generating plans throughout his distinguished career. We look forward to his significant contributions as we continue to grow our business as a global leader in the dynamic TMS industry.” Most recently, Mr. Marom served as CFO of Surgical Theater Inc., a start-up medical technology company, since 2019. In this role, he oversaw all financial and legal matters, including responsibility for budgets and financial statements. Prior to this, Mr. Marom served as Finance Director – Commercial Finance Business Officer at Amdocs, a global market leader in the communication and media industry with $4.6 billion in revenue. In this role, he led business teams interacting with the company’s largest customers and formulated revenue generating strategies. Previously, Mr. Marom served as CFO and Chief Operating Officer of The Jewish Agency in North America, and as Vice President of Finance of Ness Technologies, a global provider of IT services with approximately $600 million of revenues. Earlier in his career, Mr. Marom held senior finance and accounting roles with Motorola and Intel, and served as a Senior Auditor at EY. Mr. Marom is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance from Haifa University. “I am excited to join this innovative company at such a critical juncture in its corporate lifecycle,” said Mr. Marom. “BrainsWay is advancing towards profitability and is focused on strategically growing its business. I believe my financial leadership experience can be especially critical in leveraging the unique opportunities we have to gain market share in the evolving TMS market.” “I would like to thank Scott for his contributions to BrainsWay during his two years as CFO,” continued Mr. Levy. “He has served a critical role in our company, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.” About BrainsWay BrainsWay is a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders. The Company is boldly advancing neuroscience with its proprietary Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS™) platform technology to improve health and transform lives. BrainsWay is the first and only TMS company to obtain three FDA-cleared indications backed by pivotal clinical studies demonstrating clinically proven efficacy. Current indications include major depressive disorder (including reduction of anxiety symptoms, commonly referred to as anxious depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction. The Company is dedicated to leading through superior science and building on its unparalleled body of clinical evidence. Additional clinical trials of Deep TMS in various psychiatric, neurological, and addiction disorders are underway. Founded in 2003, with offices in Burlington, MA and Jerusalem, Israel, BrainsWay is committed to increasing global awareness of and broad access to Deep TMS. For the latest news and information about BrainsWay, please visit . Forward Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of additional research or otherwise. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: inadequacy of financial resources to meet future capital requirements; changes in technology and market requirements; delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing planned studies and clinical trials; failure to obtain approvals by regulatory agencies on the Company’s anticipated timeframe, or at all; inability to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of Deep TMS products; unforeseen difficulties with Deep TMS products and processes, and/or inability to develop necessary enhancements; unexpected costs related to Deep TMS products; failure to obtain and maintain adequate protection of the Company’s intellectual property, including intellectual property licensed to the Company; the potential for product liability; changes in legislation and applicable rules and regulations; unfavorable market perception and acceptance of Deep TMS technology; inadequate or delays in reimbursement from third-party payers, including insurance companies and Medicare; inability to commercialize Deep TMS, including internationally, by the Company or through third-party distributors; product development by competitors; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, which could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: Investors: Brian Ritchie LifeSci Advisors 212-915-2578 britchie@lifesciadvisors.com