Lesson 01 of 05 - Pharmaceutical Breakthroughs
The course 'How to Win at Angry Birds' by Dr. Josh Turknett explores why there has been a lack of significant pharmacological breakthroughs despite advances in neuroscience. This lesson discusses the failure to find superior treatments for major diseases such as Alzheimer's and obesity, despite the promise of a therapeutic revolution 20 years ago. The absence of major breakthroughs, termed a 'therapeutic winter', raises questions about the effectiveness of the current approach to medical research and treatment development.
Lesson 02 of 05 - The Competition
The lesson discusses the failure of medical therapeutics using the metaphor of two teams playing Angry Birds. Team game level learns to play the game while team source code dissects the game's code. The former succeeds while the latter fails, illustrating that understanding the fundamentals and playing the game (or applying an evolutionary perspective to health) is more effective than trying to manipulate the underlying code (or solely focusing on biological research for disease treatment). It emphasizes the importance of reducing mismatches between our natural and current habitats to prevent chronic disease.
Lesson 03 of 05 - The Comparison
The lesson distinguishes between game-level and source-code interventions in healthcare. Game-level interventions engage with evolved human biology and are safer, more potent, and appropriate for complex systems. Source-code interventions are novel, riskier, and suitable for simpler systems. The current gold standard, randomized controlled trials, fall short in assessing game-level interventions. Dr. Turknett argues for a shift in research focus from source code to game-level interventions, using trial-and-error learning to understand complex systems like human health.
Lesson 04 of 05 - Quadrant Model
The lesson presents a four quadrant model to guide health intervention decisions. The model categories interventions based on their level (game or source code) and impact (supportive or disruptive). Game-level interventions align with evolutionary forces, while source code interventions interact with biochemical mechanisms. Supportive interventions assist the body's natural processes, while disruptive interventions override physiological norms. The text suggests prioritizing game-level, supportive interventions, moving to disruptive game-level, supportive source-code, and lastly, disruptive source-code interventions.
Lesson 05 of 05 - The Next Frontier
Dr. Turknett argues for game level interventions in healthcare, which include aspects like diet and sleep. They assert that these interventions, supported by emerging technologies, can lead to significant health improvements. The process involves making a change, gathering feedback, and refining the approach, forming a virtuous cycle of improvement. Examples given include the ketogenic diet and sleep enhancement strategies. Dr. Turknett highlights the need for a research ecosystem to study these interventions, which may resolve health contradictions and drive a revolution in human health and therapeutics.