The private Kiang Wu Hospital, in collaboration with Zhejiang BrainAurora Medical Technology Limited (腦動極光), co-hosted yesterday a symposium on the diagnosis and treatment of neurocognitive disorders affecting the elderly, aiming to address Macau’s future challenges of population ageing and the increasing prevalence of neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) in Macau.
The Shaoxing-based company, also known as BrainAU, specialises in digital therapeutics (DTx) for cognitive impairment, particularly in the field of neuroscience and mental health, according to its website – https://www.66nao.cn/
The one-day meeting was held at the Kiang Wu Hospital Dr. Henry Y.T.Fok Specialist Medical Centre lecture hall. The symposium was part of Kiang Wu Hospital’s “Brain Health Programme”.
Kiang Wu Charitable Association President Tommy Lau Veng Seng noted in a speech during the symposium that Macau is facing accelerating population ageing, making the prevention and treatment of neurocognitive disorders an urgent priority. Currently, 17.6 percent of Macau’s population are seniors aged 65 and above, with 27.48 percent of them at risk of neurocognitive impairment, according to Lau.
Lau also said that Kiang Wu Hospital has proactively launched early screening and a “Brain Health Programme,” while also sending teams to Beijing to study advanced diagnostic and treatment approaches. Moving forward, the hospital will integrate the nation’s scientific research achievements with Macau’s local conditions to explore a localised prevention and treatment strategy, Lau said.
BrainAU Chief Technology Officer Cai Longjun said that the country is facing a heavy burden of 53 million people with cognitive disorders, pointing out that traditional therapies have limited effect. AI-based cognitive digital therapies have achieved a breakthrough through big model technology: AlphaCog* system designs personalised training programmes based on the “Scale Theory”**, which has been clinically proven to be four times more effective than traditional methods, Cai said.
Cai also said that this technology overturns the symptomatic treatment model, proposes a new paradigm of “developmental therapy”, and promotes the interdisciplinary integration of brain science. The results have already won national awards, providing innovative solutions to cope with ageing in Macau and other regions, and are expected to help China achieve global leadership in the field of medical AI.
Kiang Wu Associate Consultant Li Pengbin pointed out that Kiang Wu Hospital’s Brain Health Programme offers comprehensive cognitive care from screening to personalised treatment. Using robot-guided magnetic stimulation, it has improved cognition in 3,923 mild-to-moderate cases, Li said. Partnering with BrainAU, the programme now integrates AI-powered therapy for real-time assessment and treatment, enhancing elderly care in Macau’s ageing society.
*AlphaCog (short for Alpha Cognition) generally refers to advanced cognitive capabilities, often associated with cutting-edge AI systems, neurotechnology, or cognitive enhancement tools. – DeepSeek
** Scale Theory (or Scaling Theory) refers to a framework for understanding how systems, processes, or phenomena behave when their size, dimensions, or parameters change. – DeepSeek
Kiang Wu Charitable Association President Tommy Lau Veng Seng delivers a speech during yesterday’s symposium at the private hospital. – Photo: Arnaldo Neves
