Projekt

This project addresses the question whether something as simple as which nostril we primarily breathe through, left or right, have major impact on our health and well-being? Traditional Indian medicine suggests that shifts from left to right nostril, known as the nasal-cycle, are essential for health. Western medicine has largely overlooked this possibility so far. Therefore, this project examines the cycle with state-of-the-art neuroscientific tools, probes the brain mechanisms of this phenomenon, and builds a novel device allowing nasal-cycle measurement and modification. Preliminary data suggest impact on brain mechanisms of autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation, which is a major component in several disease conditions. In this proposal, novel device for proof-of-concept experiments in attention-deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD) will be used. The long-term vision, however, goes beyond ADHD and aims at a powerful novel measure in medicine, with contributions not only to diagnosis and prognosis, but also to treatment of assorted diseases related to ANS imbalance.

• Prof. Dr. Thomas Hummel

  Technische Universität Dresden
  Medizinische Fakultät
  Department of Otorhinolaryngology
  Zentrum für Riechen und Schmecken
  Dresden
  

• Prof. Dr. Noam Sobel

  The Weizmann Institute of Science
  Department of Neurobiology
  Rehovot
  Israel