Dr. Luis Brieva: The neurologist will never be replaced by an Artificial Intelligence"

Doctor Luis Brieva did not always want to be a doctor.

And yet, he has been Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Unit at the Arnau de Vilanova Hospital in Lleida for more than fifteen years and Associate Professor in Neurology at the University of Lleida.

But everything has a beginning.

He says that popular science magazines whet his appetite to know and learn more about astronomy. Do you remember the monographs of the magazine "Muy Interesante"?

Additionally, when he was about fourteen years old, the series “COSMOS” with Carl Sagan premiered. Dr. Brieva remembers closing the door to his room, lowering the blinds and feeling like he was at the movies.

However, all that went to the background when he read a monograph entitled "The Brain", focused on the most complex and wonderful organ of all.

The movements of a cheetah, the sight of the owl… He found it fascinating.

But what really caught his attention was the diseased brain and how its entire wonderful structure falls apart.

"The brain creates fantastic things and adapts to the environment," he says with a smile.

 But there is a very big difference between humans and animals.

The human brain “modifies and converts an abstract idea into a concrete fact. We create art, we understand math, we enjoy culture.”

Dr. Brieva calls it "the perfect organ." It contains an important physical, intellectual and also emotional part. It is completely unique and different from the rest of the body's organs.

That's why he decided to study neurology.

“A specialty”, he acknowledges, “absolutely diverse. Those dedicated to dementia have nothing to do with those dedicated to tumors or the peripheral nervous system”.

Neurology opens up like a fan with multiple opportunities. In any of them you can find your place.

At the end of our talk, we asked Dr. Brieva what he would say or advise all those residents who have not yet chosen their specialty. And to those who have already chosen it, what are they going to find?

• Neurology gives you the opportunity to satisfy your intellectual curiosity.

“Since the brain cannot be directly addressed with a biopsy, we have to focus on other resources; a good interview, a good exploration and, of course, good technology in a tangential way. So the role of the neurologist will probably not be replaced by artificial intelligence,” he explains.

• It allows you to develop your most human abilities.

Patient care is vital in this specialty. The neurologist spends many hours with the patient, monitoring their condition and evolution. This requires neurologists to have a good level of communication and facilitates the development of empathy.

“The patient that gives the most satisfaction is the one that you have not been able to cure, you have followed him for a long time… It has even gone badly. But you have alleviated his condition and provided him comfort,” he reflects. “When patients or families tell you that you have done well in those cases, it is especially satisfying.”

• If someone in your closest circle suffers from a neurodegenerative disease, it is the perfect opportunity to investigate, investigate and find a solution.

“Everything remains to be done in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research. Neurodegenerative pathology is the next challenge, probably above cancer, which in many cases is already successfully addressed,” he announces. “We are going to need many researchers and neurologists in the near future.”

Did you know that the 90s were “the age of the brain”?

 We had no idea, but talking to Dr. Brieva is discovering new and very interesting things.

 “Between 1990 and the beginning of 2000, it represented a spectacular advance that has since blossomed. Now there are multidisciplinary teams at an international level. This is how things are achieved,” the doctor tells us.

 What is one of the main factors to improve? The investment.

 However, Dr. Brieva is positive and excited about everything that remains to be learned.

 “Neurology has greater complexity and does not have unique variables in all cases. Those that do have a specific genetic deficit already have technology that will modify these diseases. I am very happy about that, because many are muscular diseases in children that lead to death. But that is going to be extended with the knowledge of the human genome, of all the metabolic pathways”.

 According to him, there are still another twenty exciting years to come.