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Kievit RA, Romeijn JW, Waldorp LJ, Wicherts JM, Scholte HS, Borsboom D. Mind the Gap: A Psychometric Approach to the Reduction Problem. PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRY 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/1047840x.2011.550181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Borgelt E, Buchman DZ, Illes J. "This is Why you've Been Suffering": Reflections of Providers on Neuroimaging in Mental Health Care. JOURNAL OF BIOETHICAL INQUIRY 2011; 8:15-25. [PMID: 21572566 PMCID: PMC3092299 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-010-9271-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Mental health care providers increasingly confront challenges posed by the introduction of new neurotechnology into the clinic, but little is known about the impact of such capabilities on practice patterns and relationships with patients. To address this important gap, we sought providers' perspectives on the potential clinical translation of functional neuroimaging for prediction and diagnosis of mental illness. We conducted 32 semi-structured telephone interviews with mental health care providers representing psychiatry, psychology, family medicine, and allied mental health. Our results suggest that mental health providers have begun to re-conceptualize mental illness with a neuroscience gaze. They report an epistemic commitment to the value of a brain scan to provide a meaningful explanation of mental illness for their clients. If functional neuroimaging continues along its projected trajectory to translation, providers will ultimately have to negotiate its role in mental health. Their perspectives, therefore, enrich bioethical discourse surrounding neurotechnology and inform the translational pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Borgelt
- National Core for Neuroethics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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103
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Palmour N, Affleck W, Bell E, Deslauriers C, Pike B, Doyon J, Racine E. Informed consent for MRI and fMRI research: analysis of a sample of Canadian consent documents. BMC Med Ethics 2011; 12:1. [PMID: 21235768 PMCID: PMC3033859 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-12-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2010] [Accepted: 01/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research ethics and the measures deployed to ensure ethical oversight of research (e.g., informed consent forms, ethics review) are vested with extremely important ethical and practical goals. Accordingly, these measures need to function effectively in real-world research and to follow high level standards. Methods We examined approved consent forms for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies approved by Canadian research ethics boards (REBs). Results We found evidence of variability in consent forms in matters of physical and psychological risk reporting. Approaches used to tackle the emerging issue of incidental findings exposed extensive variability between and within research sites. Conclusion The causes of variability in approved consent forms and studies need to be better understood. However, mounting evidence of administrative and practical hurdles within current ethics governance systems combined with potential sub-optimal provision of information to and protection of research subjects support other calls for more scrutiny of research ethics practices and applicable revisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Palmour
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Canada
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104
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105
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Abstract
We systematically mistreat psychological phenomena, both logically and clinically. This article explores three contentions: that the dominant discourse in modern cognitive, affective, and clinical neuroscience assumes that we know how psychology/biology causation works when we do not; that there are serious intellectual, clinical, and policy costs to pretending we do know; and that crucial scientific and clinical progress will be stymied as long as we frame psychology, biology, and their relationship in currently dominant ways. The arguments are developed with emphasis on misguided attempts to localize psychological function via neuroimaging, misunderstandings about the role of genetics in psychopathology, and untoward constraints on health-care policy and clinical service delivery. A particular challenge, articulated but not resolved in this article, is determining what constitutes adequate explanation in the relationship between psychology and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, and Zukunfstkolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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106
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Abstract
Neuroimaging research is yielding reports of sex differences in the brain. Yet the likelihood of spurious findings of sex differences, the teething problems of new technology, the obscurity of the relation between brain structure and psychological function, and difficulties inferring mental states from neuroimaging data all require us to be considerably cautious in interpreting such results. Unfortunately, these issues are often overlooked in popular accounts. Together with a tendency for people to regard neuroscientific information as more scientific than behavioral data, and as indicative of male and female “nature,” these issues point to the worrisome possibility of public misunderstanding of what contemporary neuroscience tells us about gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordelia Fine
- Centre for Agency, Values and Ethics, Macquarie University, and Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
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107
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108
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Racine E, Waldman S, Rosenberg J, Illes J. Contemporary neuroscience in the media. Soc Sci Med 2010; 71:725-33. [PMID: 20609506 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2009] [Revised: 04/28/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Technological innovations in neuroscience have opened new windows to the understanding of brain function and the neuronal underpinnings of brain activity in neuropsychiatric disorders and social behavior. Public interest and support for neuroscience research through initiatives like the Decade of the Brain project and increasingly diverse brain-related initiatives have created new interfaces between neuroscience and society. Against this backdrop of dynamic innovation, we set out to examine how different features of neuroscience are depicted in print media. We used the 'guided news' function of the LexisNexis Academic database with keyword searches to find news articles published between 1995 and 2004 in major U.S. and U.K. English-language news sources. We performed searches on headlines, lead paragraphs, and body terms to maximize search yields. All articles were coded for overall tone of coverage, details on reported studies, presence of ethical, legal, and social discussion as well as the emerging interpretations of neuroscience - in the form of neuro-essentialism, neuro-realism, and neuro-policy. We found that print media coverage of the use of neurotechnology for diagnosis or therapy in neuropsychiatric disorders was generally optimistic. We also found that, even within articles that were identified as research reports, many did not provide details about research studies. We also gained additional insights into the previously identified phenomena of neuro-essentialism, neuro-realism, and neuro-policy showing some profound impacts of neuroscience on personal identity and policy-making. Our results highlight the implications of transfer of neuroscience knowledge to society given the substantial and authoritative weight ascribed to neuroscience knowledge in defining who we are. We also discuss the impact of these findings on neuroscience and on the respective contributions of the social sciences and the biological sciences in contemporary psychiatry and mental health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, Québec H2W 1R7, Canada.
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109
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Ortega F, Zorzanelli R. [The cerebralization of fatigue: an analysis of the cerebral hypothesis in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome]. HISTORIA, CIENCIAS, SAUDE--MANGUINHOS 2010; 17:289-305. [PMID: 21461470 DOI: 10.1590/s0104-59702010000200002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2008] [Accepted: 07/01/2009] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The article analyzes a number of conditions that allowed the brain to become established as an etiological hypothesis in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), together with other hypotheses related to organic causes, such as viruses and immunity. It also addresses the process of cerebralization of personhood, which grew out of the use of neuroimaging for research and diagnostic purposes and according to which the brain constitutes the prime place for looking for the cause of the diseases - including CFS - within the context of a somatic culture, intensified at the end of the twentieth century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ortega
- Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 20550-900
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110
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Smith DV, Huettel SA. Decision neuroscience: neuroeconomics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2010; 1:854-871. [PMID: 22754602 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Few aspects of human cognition are more personal than the choices we make. Our decisions-from the mundane to the impossibly complex-continually shape the courses of our lives. In recent years, researchers have applied the tools of neuroscience to understand the mechanisms that underlie decision making, as part of the new discipline of decision neuroscience. A primary goal of this emerging field has been to identify the processes that underlie specific decision variables, including the value of rewards, the uncertainty associated with particular outcomes, and the consequences of social interactions. Recent work suggests potential neural substrates that integrate these variables, potentially reflecting a common neural currency for value, to facilitate value comparisons. Despite the successes of decision neuroscience research for elucidating brain mechanisms, significant challenges remain. These include building new conceptual frameworks for decision making, integrating research findings across disparate techniques and species, and extending results from neuroscience to shape economic theory. To overcome these challenges, future research will likely focus on interpersonal variability in decision making, with the eventual goal of creating biologically plausible models for individual choice. WIREs Cogn Sci 2010 1 854-871 This article is categorized under: Psychology > Reasoning and Decision Making Neuroscience > Cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David V Smith
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Scott A Huettel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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111
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Deslauriers C, Bell E, Palmour N, Pike B, Doyon J, Racine E. Perspectives of Canadian Researchers on Ethics Review of Neuroimaging Research. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics 2010; 5:49-66. [DOI: 10.1525/jer.2010.5.1.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The current and potential uses of neuroimaging in healthcare and beyond have spurred discussion about the ethical issues related to neuroimaging and neuroimaging research. This study examined the perspectives of neuroimagers on ethical issues in their research and on the ethics review process. One hundred neuroimagers from 13 Canadian neuroscience centers completed an online survey and 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Neuroimagers felt that most ethical and social issues identified in the literature were dealt with adequately, well, and even very well by research ethics boards (REBs), but some issues such as incidental findings and transfer of knowledge were problematic. Neuroimagers reported a range of practical problems in the ethics review process. We aimed to gather perspectives from REB on the ethics review process, but insufficient participation by REBs prevented us from reporting their perspectives. Given shortcomings identified by neuroimagers as well as longstanding issues in Canadian ethics governance, we believe that substantial challenges exist in Canadian research ethics governance that jeopardize trust, communication, and the overall soundness of research ethics governance. Neuroimagers and REBs should consider their shared responsibilities in developing guidance to handle issues such as incidental findings, risk assessment, and knowledge transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Deslauriers
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal
| | - E. Bell
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal
| | - N. Palmour
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal
| | | | | | - E. Racine
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Université de Montréal and McGill University
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112
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Morgan AT, Reilly S, Eadie P, Watts A, Simpson C. Parental consent for neuroimaging in paediatric research. Child Care Health Dev 2010; 36:241-8. [PMID: 19645826 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00997.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly applied in paediatric research. Parents typically provide research consent for their children; yet, no study has examined the rates of consent, nor factors influencing parental decision making for consent. The present study aimed to determine the proportion of parents that would consent to their child undergoing an fMRI study, and to elicit the reasons, motivators and detractors affecting their decision. METHODS Ninety parents of children aged 6 years were invited to participate in a postal survey study. RESULTS Fifty-three parents (59%) responded and one-third (34%, 18/53) reported that they would consent. The main reason for consent was that participation could benefit children in the future (89%, 16/18). Common reasons for not consenting included that fMRI may be anxiety-provoking (54%), or was an unnecessary medical procedure (23%). CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary data suggest that researchers may have to approach three times the number of participants required in order to recruit a suitable number of healthy children to fMRI studies. Further research examining the influence of recruitment approaches (e.g. phone vs. postal) and the various factors influencing decision making regarding consent is required. For example, careful examination of the language used in describing the procedure could facilitate parental understanding about fMRI and alleviate anxiety associated with the procedure. This is an important consideration for recruitment to future fMRI studies given that anxiety was a key factor influencing parental non-consent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Morgan
- Language & Literacy Group, Healthy Development Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
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113
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Raz A, Wolfson JB. From Dynamic Lesions to Brain Imaging of Behavioral Lesions: Alloying the Gold of Psychoanalysis with the Copper of Suggestion. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1080/15294145.2010.10773621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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114
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Illes J, Moser MA, McCormick JB, Racine E, Blakeslee S, Caplan A, Hayden EC, Ingram J, Lohwater T, McKnight P, Nicholson C, Phillips A, Sauvé KD, Snell E, Weiss S. Neurotalk: improving the communication of neuroscience research. Nat Rev Neurosci 2010; 11:61-9. [PMID: 19953102 PMCID: PMC2818800 DOI: 10.1038/nrn2773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing pressure for neuroscientists to communicate their research and the societal implications of their findings to the public. Communicating science is challenging, and the transformation of communication by digital and interactive media increases the complexity of the challenge. To facilitate dialogue with the public in this new media landscape, we suggest three courses of action for the neuroscience community: a cultural shift that explicitly recognizes and rewards public outreach, the identification and development of neuroscience communication experts, and ongoing empirical research on the public communication of neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy Illes
- Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics, Professor of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, National Core for Neuroethics, The University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Koerner S124, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5 CANADA, Tel: 604.822.0746, neuroethicscanada.ca,
| | - Mary Anne Moser
- Director of Communications, Schulich School of Engineering, Director, Banff Science Communications Program, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 CANADA,
| | - Jennifer B. McCormick
- Assistant Professor of Biomedical Ethics, Departments of Medicine and Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic and College of Medicine, USA,
| | - Eric Racine
- Director, Neuroethics Research Unit, IRCM, 110 avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7 CANADA, ircm.qc.ca/neuroethics/en,
| | | | - Arthur Caplan
- Centre for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Market Street · Suite 320, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA,
| | | | - Jay Ingram
- c/o CTV Inc., 9 Channel Nine Court, Scarborough, Ontario M1S 4B5 CANADA,
| | - Tiffany Lohwater
- Public Engagement Manager, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1200 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005 USA,
| | - Peter McKnight
- Vancouver Sun, #1 - 200 Granville Street, Vancouver BC V6C 3N3 CANADA,
| | | | - Anthony Phillips
- Institute on Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 2255 Westbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1 CANADA
| | - Kevin D. Sauvé
- National Core for Neuroethics, The University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Koerner S124, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5 CANADA,
| | - Elaine Snell
- European Dana Alliance for the Brain, Snell Communications Ltd, Science, Medicine and Health, PO Box 10461, London SW11 6ZJ UNITED KINGDOM,
| | - Sam Weiss
- Director, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Health Research Innovation Centre – Room 1A10, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1 CANADA,
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Abstract
Neuromarketing has recently generated controversies concerning the involvement of medical professionals, and many key questions remain-ones that have potentially important implications for the field of psychiatry. Conflicting definitions of neuromarketing have been proposed, and little is known about the actual practices of companies, physicians, and scientists involved in its practice. This article reviews the history of neuromarketing and uses an exploratory survey of neuromarketing Web sites to illustrate ethical issues raised by this new field. Neuromarketing, as currently practiced, is heterogeneous, as companies are offering a variety of technologies. Many companies employ academicians and professionals, but few list their clients or fees. Media coverage of neuromarketing appears disproportionately high compared to the paucity of peer-reviewed reports in the field. Companies may be making premature claims about the power of neuroscience to predict consumer behavior. Overall, neuromarketing has important implications for academic-industrial partnerships, the responsible conduct of research, and the public understanding of the brain. We explore these themes to uncover issues relevant to professional ethics, research, and policy. Of particular relevance to psychiatry, neuromarketing may be seen as an extension of the search for quantification and certainty in previously indefinite aspects of human behavior.
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116
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Buchman DZ, Skinner W, Illes J. Negotiating the Relationship Between Addiction, Ethics, and Brain Science. AJOB Neurosci 2010; 1:36-45. [PMID: 20676352 PMCID: PMC2910924 DOI: 10.1080/21507740903508609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Advances in neuroscience are changing how mental health issues such as addiction are understood and addressed as a brain disease. Although a brain disease model legitimizes addiction as a medical condition, it promotes neuro-essentialist thinking, categorical ideas of responsibility and free choice, and undermines the complexity involved in its emergence. We propose a 'biopsychosocial systems' model where psycho-social factors complement and interact with neurogenetics. A systems approach addresses the complexity of addiction and approaches free choice and moral responsibility within the biological, lived experience and socio-historical context of the individual. We examine heroin-assisted treatment as an applied case example within our framework. We conclude with a discussion of the model and its implications for drug policy, research, addiction health care systems and delivery, and treatment of substance use problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Z. Buchman
- National Core for Neuroethics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Wayne Skinner
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Judy Illes
- National Core for Neuroethics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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117
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Ortega F. Neurociências, neurocultura e autoajuda cerebral. INTERFACE - COMUNICAÇÃO, SAÚDE, EDUCAÇÃO 2009. [DOI: 10.1590/s1414-32832009000400002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Este artigo pretende analisar o fenômeno denominado de neuroascese, ou autoajuda cerebral no contexto do crescente impacto das neurociências e do surgimento da neurocultura e do sujeito cerebral. Para tanto, é importante compreender o âmbito sóciocultural mais amplo no qual a neuroascese se insere e que corresponde ao que vem se chamando de 'cultura somática' ou, mais especificamente, de biossociabilidade. O objetivo do artigo é explorar como uma forma de subjetividade reducionista, o sujeito cerebral, dá lugar à aparição de práticas de si cerebrais, isto é, práticas de como agir sobre o cérebro para maximizar a sua performance, que levam a formação de novas formas de sociabilidade.
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118
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Lavazza A, De Caro M. Not so Fast. On Some Bold Neuroscientific Claims Concerning Human Agency. NEUROETHICS-NETH 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s12152-009-9053-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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119
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Abstract
Neuroscience addresses questions that, if resolved, will reveal aspects of our individuality. Therefore neuroscientific knowledge is not solely constrained within laboratories, but readily captures the attention of the public at large. Ideas, concepts and images in neuroscience widely circulate in culture and are portrayed in literature, film, works of art, the mass media and commercial products, therefore shaping social values and consumer practices. The interaction between art and science offers an opportunity to make the scientific community and the public aware of the social and ethical implications of the scientific advances in neuroscience.
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120
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Tairyan K, Illes J. Imaging genetics and the power of combined technologies: a perspective from neuroethics. Neuroscience 2009; 164:7-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2008] [Revised: 01/07/2009] [Accepted: 01/28/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara J. Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital and the MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sharon Morein-Zamir
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital and the MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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122
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Disagreements with implications: diverging discourses on the ethics of non-medical use of methylphenidate for performance enhancement. BMC Med Ethics 2009; 10:9. [PMID: 19580661 PMCID: PMC2719652 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-10-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2009] [Accepted: 07/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is substantial evidence that methylphenidate (MPH; Ritalin), is being used by healthy university students for non-medical motives such as the improvement of concentration, alertness, and academic performance. The scope and potential consequences of the non-medical use of MPH upon healthcare and society bring about many points of view. Methods To gain insight into key ethical and social issues on the non-medical use of MPH, we examined discourses in the print media, bioethics literature, and public health literature. Results Our study identified three diverging paradigms with varying perspectives on the nature of performance enhancement. The beneficial effects of MPH on normal cognition were generally portrayed enthusiastically in the print media and bioethics discourses but supported by scant information on associated risks. Overall, we found a variety of perspectives regarding ethical, legal and social issues related to the non-medical use of MPH for performance enhancement and its impact upon social practices and institutions. The exception to this was public health discourse which took a strong stance against the non-medical use of MPH typically viewed as a form of prescription abuse or misuse. Wide-ranging recommendations for prevention of further non-medical use of MPH included legislation and increased public education. Conclusion Some positive portrayals of the non-medical use of MPH for performance enhancement in the print media and bioethics discourses could entice further uses. Medicine and society need to prepare for more prevalent non-medical uses of neuropharmaceuticals by fostering better informed public debates.
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123
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Van Horn JD, Poldrack RA. Functional MRI at the crossroads. Int J Psychophysiol 2009; 73:3-9. [PMID: 19041348 PMCID: PMC2747289 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2008] [Revised: 10/31/2008] [Accepted: 11/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Since the observation of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect on measured MR signal in the brain, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has rapidly become the tool of choice for exploring brain function in cognitive neuroscience. Although fMRI is an exciting and powerful means to examining the brain in vivo, the field has sometimes permitted itself to believe that patterns of BOLD activity reveal more than it is possible to measure given the method's spatial and temporal sampling, while concurrently not fully exploring the amount of information it provides. In this article, we examine some of the constraints on the kinds of inferences that can be supported by fMRI. We critique the concept of reverse inference that is often employed to claim some cognitive function must be present given activity in a specific region. We review the consideration of functional and effective connectivity that remain infrequently applied in cognitive neuroimaging, highlighting recent thinking on the ways in which functional imaging can be used to characterize inter-regional communication. Recent advances in neuroimaging that make it possible to assess anatomical connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and we discuss how these may inform interpretation of fMRI results. Descriptions of fMRI studies in the media, in some instances, serve to misrepresent fMRI's capabilities. We comment on how researchers need to faithfully represent fMRI's promise and limitations in dealing with the media. Finally, as we stand at the crossroads of fMRI research, where one pathway leads toward a rigorous understanding of cognitive operations using fMRI and another leads us to a predictable collection of observations absent of clear insight, we offer our impressions of a fruitful path for future functional imaging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Darrell Van Horn
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, 635 Charles E. Young Drive SW, Suite #225, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7334; Phone: 310-267-5156; Fax: (310) 206-5518;
| | - Russell A. Poldrack
- UCLA Department of Psychology, Franz Hall, Box 951563 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563; Phone: 310-794-1224; Fax: 310-206-5895;
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124
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Forlini C, Racine E. Autonomy and Coercion in Academic “Cognitive Enhancement” Using Methylphenidate: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders. NEUROETHICS-NETH 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s12152-009-9043-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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125
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Secko DM, Burgess M, O'Doherty K. Perspectives on engaging the public in the ethics of emerging biotechnologies: from salmon to biobanks to neuroethics. Account Res 2009; 15:283-302. [PMID: 18972267 DOI: 10.1080/08989620802388762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In anticipation of increasing interest in public engagement, this article seeks to expand the current discussion in the neuroethics literature concerning what public engagement on issues related to neuroscience might entail and how they could be envisioned. It notes that the small amount of available neuroethics literature related to public engagement has principally discussed only communication/education or made calls for dialogue without exploring what this might entail on a practical level. The article links across three seemingly disparate examples-salmon, biobanks, and neuroethics-to consider and clarify the need for public engagement in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Secko
- Department of Journalism, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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126
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Luber B, Fisher C, Appelbaum PS, Ploesser M, Lisanby SH. Non-invasive brain stimulation in the detection of deception: scientific challenges and ethical consequences. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2009; 27:191-208. [PMID: 19266592 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Tools for noninvasive stimulation of the brain, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have provided new insights in the study of brain-behavior relationships due to their ability to directly alter cortical activity. In particular, TMS and tDCS have proven to be useful tools for establishing causal relationships between behavioral and brain imaging measures. As such, there has been interest in whether these tools may represent novel technologies for deception detection by altering a person's ability to engage brain networks involved in conscious deceit. Investigation of deceptive behavior using noninvasive brain stimulation is at an early stage. Here we review the existing literature on the application of noninvasive brain stimulation in the study of deception. Whether such approaches could be usefully applied to the detection of deception by altering a person's ability to engage brain networks involved in conscious deceit remains to be validated. Ethical and legal consequences of the development of such a technology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Luber
- Division of Brain Stimulation and Therapeutic Modulation, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons /New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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127
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Farah MJ, Smith ME, Gawuga C, Lindsell D, Foster D. Brain imaging and brain privacy: a realistic concern? J Cogn Neurosci 2009; 21:119-27. [PMID: 18476762 DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2009.21010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Functional neuroimaging has been used to study a wide array of psychological traits, including aspects of personality and intelligence. Progress in identifying the neural correlates of individual differences in such traits, for the sake of basic science, has moved us closer to the applied science goal of measuring them and thereby raised ethical concerns about privacy. How realistic are such concerns given the current state of the art? In this article, we describe the statistical basis of the measurement of psychological traits using functional neuroimaging and examine the degree to which current functional neuroimaging protocols could be used for this purpose. By analyzing the published data from 16 studies, we demonstrate that the use of imaging to gather information about an individual's psychological traits is already possible, but to an extremely limited extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha J Farah
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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128
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Thai NJ, Talcott JB. Considerations for pediatric neuroimaging at the translational coalface. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2009; 9:18-20. [PMID: 19132613 DOI: 10.1080/15265160802656348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- N J Thai
- Aston University, School of Life and Health Sciences, Birmingham, UK
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129
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Abstract
How can we use neuroscience to better understand economic behavior? By quelling concerns about the nascent field of neuroeconomics, the authors defend future integrations of the biological and social sciences.
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130
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Caulfield T, Ogbogu U. Biomedical Research and the Commercialization Agenda: A Review of main Considerations for Neuroscience. Account Res 2008; 15:303-20. [DOI: 10.1080/08989620802388788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Caulfield
- a Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | - Ubaka Ogbogu
- a Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
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131
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Racine E, Bell E. Clinical and public translation of neuroimaging research in disorders of consciousness challenges current diagnostic and public understanding paradigms. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2008; 8:13-15. [PMID: 18853372 DOI: 10.1080/15265160802318238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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132
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Fins JJ. Neuroethics and neuroimaging: moving toward transparency. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2008; 8:46-52. [PMID: 18853386 DOI: 10.1080/15265160802334490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Without exaggeration, it could be said that we are entering a golden age of neuroscience. Informed by recent developments in neuroimaging that allow us to peer into the working brain at both a structural and functional level, neuroscientists are beginning to untangle mechanisms of recovery after brain injury and grapple with age-old questions about brain and mind and their correlates neural mechanisms and consciousness. Neuroimaging, coupled with new diagnostic categories and assessment scales are helping us develop a new diagnostic nosology about disorders of consciousness which will likely improve prognostication and suggest therapeutic advances. Historically such diagnostic refinement has yield therapeutic advances in medicine and there is no reason to doubt that this will be the case for disorders of consciousness, perhaps bringing relief to a marginalized population now on the periphery of the therapeutic agenda. In spite of this promise, the translation of research findings into the clinical context will be difficult. As we move from descriptive categories about disorders of consciousness, like the vegetative or minimally conscious states, to ones further specified by integrating behavioral and neuroimaging findings, humility not hubris should be the virtue that guides the ethical conduct of research and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Fins
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Division of Medical Ethics, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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133
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Racine E, Amaram R, Seidler M, Karczewska M, Illes J. Media coverage of the persistent vegetative state and end-of-life decision-making. Neurology 2008; 71:1027-32. [PMID: 18685135 DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000320507.64683.ee] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conflicting perspectives about the diagnosis and prognosis of the persistent vegetative state (PVS) as well as end-of-life (EOL) decision-making were disseminated in the Terri Schiavo case. This study examined print media coverage of these features of the case. METHODS We retrieved print media coverage of the Schiavo case from the LexisNexis Academic database and used content analysis to examine headlines and text of articles describing Schiavo's neurologic condition, behavioral repertoire, prognosis, and withdrawal of life support. The accuracy of claims about PVS was assessed. RESULTS Our search yielded 1,141 relevant articles published (1990-2005) in the four most prolific American newspapers for this case. The most frequent headline themes featured legal (31%), EOL (25%), and political (22%) aspects of the case. Of the articles analyzed, 21% reported that Schiavo "might improve" and 7% that she "might recover." Statements explicitly denying the PVS diagnosis were found in 6% of articles. Explanations of PVS and other chronic disorders of consciousness were rare (<or=1%). Most frequently cited descriptions of behaviors were that the patient responds (10%), reacts (9%), is incapacitated (6%), smiles (5%), and laughs (5%). Withdrawal of life support was described as murder in 9% of articles. CONCLUSIONS Media coverage included refutations of the persistent vegetative state (PVS) diagnosis, attributed behaviors inconsistent with PVS, and used charged language to describe end of life decision-making. Strategies are needed to achieve better internal agreement within the professional community and effective communication with patient communities, families, the media, and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Racine
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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134
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Hadskis M, Kenny N, Downie J, Schmidt M, D'Arcy R. The Therapeutic Misconception: A Threat to Valid Parental Consent for Pediatric Neuroimaging Research. Account Res 2008; 15:133-51. [DOI: 10.1080/08989620801946917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hadskis
- a Faculty of Law , Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Nuala Kenny
- b Department of Bioethics , Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Downie
- c Faculties of Law and Medicine , Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Matthias Schmidt
- d Department of Diagnostic Imaging , IWK Health Centre , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Ryan D'Arcy
- e Institute for Biodiagnostics (Atlantic), National Research Council , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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135
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Poldrack RA. The role of fMRI in Cognitive Neuroscience: where do we stand? Curr Opin Neurobiol 2008; 18:223-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2008.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2008] [Revised: 07/04/2008] [Accepted: 07/08/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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136
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137
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Fins JJ. A leg to stand on: Sir William Osler and Wilder Penfield's "neuroethics". THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2008; 8:37-46. [PMID: 18236336 DOI: 10.1080/15265160701841975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Fins
- Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Medical College, Cornell University
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138
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Goldberg D. The detection of constructed memories and the risks of undue prejudice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2008; 8:23-W4. [PMID: 18236329 DOI: 10.1080/15265160701828527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Goldberg
- Baylor College of Medicine and University of Texas Medical Branch, USA
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139
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Racine E. Interdisciplinary approaches for a pragmatic neuroethics. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2008; 8:52-53. [PMID: 18236340 DOI: 10.1080/15265160701828444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), University of Montreal
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140
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Illes J. Empirical neuroethics. Can brain imaging visualize human thought? Why is neuroethics interested in such a possibility? EMBO Rep 2007; 8 Spec No:S57-60. [PMID: 17726446 PMCID: PMC3327527 DOI: 10.1038/sj.embor.7401007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Judy Illes
- Program in Neuroethics, Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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141
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McCabe DP, Castel AD. Seeing is believing: the effect of brain images on judgments of scientific reasoning. Cognition 2007; 107:343-52. [PMID: 17803985 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2007.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2006] [Revised: 07/25/2007] [Accepted: 07/25/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Brain images are believed to have a particularly persuasive influence on the public perception of research on cognition. Three experiments are reported showing that presenting brain images with articles summarizing cognitive neuroscience research resulted in higher ratings of scientific reasoning for arguments made in those articles, as compared to articles accompanied by bar graphs, a topographical map of brain activation, or no image. These data lend support to the notion that part of the fascination, and the credibility, of brain imaging research lies in the persuasive power of the actual brain images themselves. We argue that brain images are influential because they provide a physical basis for abstract cognitive processes, appealing to people's affinity for reductionistic explanations of cognitive phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P McCabe
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Campus Box 1876, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1876, USA.
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142
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Abstract
Neuroscience represents a dynamic area of biomedical research where neuroethical responsibilities for researchers are emerging. This paper is the companion piece to the French-language one also published in this issue of the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. It serves as a review of recent advances in neuroethics through the lens of three cases: (1) incidental finding of anomalies in neuroimaging research; (2) creation of neurotechnologies that can lead to cognitive enhancement, and (3) responsible communication of research results. We propose and discuss a multidimensional framework of neuroethical responsibilities to help tackle these issues. The framework reiterates the fundamental role of scientific integrity, puts in the foreground social responsibilities pertaining to the eventual use of neuroscience knowledge, and highlights self-reflection in research and training of researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
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143
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Fusar-Poli P, Broome MR. Love and brain: from mereological fallacy to "folk" neuroimaging. Psychiatry Res 2007; 154:285-6. [PMID: 17350234 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2006] [Revised: 11/02/2006] [Accepted: 11/06/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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144
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Abstract
Brain-imaging studies have reinvigorated the neurophilosophical and legal debate of whether we are free agents in control of our own actions or mere prisoners of a biologically determined brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Mobbs
- Welcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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145
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Singh J, Hallmayer J, Illes J. Interacting and paradoxical forces in neuroscience and society. Nat Rev Neurosci 2007; 8:153-60. [PMID: 17237806 PMCID: PMC1885680 DOI: 10.1038/nrn2073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Discoveries in the field of neuroscience are a natural source of discourse among scientists and have long been disseminated to the public. Historically, as news of findings has travelled between communities, it has elicited both expected and unusual reactions. What scientific landmarks promote discourse within the professional community? Do the same findings achieve a place in the public eye? How does the media choose what is newsworthy, and why does the public react the way it does? Drawing on examples of past challenges at the crossroads of neuroscience and society and on a case study of trends in one neurogenetic disease, autism, we explore the dialectical forces interacting in scientific and public discourse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Singh
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Center for Integration of Research on Genetics and Ethics, 701 Welch Road, Building A, Suite 1105, Palo Alto, California 94304-5748, USA
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146
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Racine E. Identifying challenges and conditions for the use of neuroscience in bioethics. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2007; 7:74-6; discussion W1-4. [PMID: 17366179 DOI: 10.1080/15265160601064363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal,Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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147
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Chamberlain SR, Müller U, Blackwell AD, Robbins TW, Sahakian BJ. Noradrenergic modulation of working memory and emotional memory in humans. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2006; 188:397-407. [PMID: 16642355 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-006-0391-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2006] [Accepted: 03/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Noradrenaline (NA) is implicated in arousal. Working memory is dependent upon prefrontal cortex, and moderate levels of NA are thought to facilitate working memory whereas higher levels during extreme stress may impair working memory and engage more posterior cortical and sub-cortical circuitry. The NA system also influences emotional memory via modulation of the amygdalae and related mediotemporal structures. NA dysfunction and abnormalities in arousal-dependent memory functions are evident in a variety of neuropsychiatric illnesses. OBJECTIVES The authors provide a concise overview of pharmacological studies that have investigated effects of selective NA manipulations on working memory and emotional memory functions in healthy human volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Selection of relevant peer-reviewed publications was based on a PubMed search. RESULTS Studies to date indicate that: (1) the beta-blocker propranolol impaired working and emotional memory, (2) clonidine frequently impaired working memory, and (3) reboxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, enhanced emotional memory for positive material. CONCLUSIONS Improved understanding of coupling between NA, cortico-subcortical circuitry and human mnemonic functions will suggest novel therapeutic directions for the treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Future research directions are discussed in relation to neuroimaging techniques, functional central nervous system polymorphisms and study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Chamberlain
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK.
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148
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Racine E, Bar-Ilan O, Illes J. Brain Imaging: A Decade of Coverage in the Print Media. SCIENCE COMMUNICATION 2006; 28:122-142. [PMID: 17330151 PMCID: PMC1805690 DOI: 10.1177/1075547006291990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Advances in neuroscience are increasingly intersecting with issues of ethical, legal, and social interest. This study is an analysis of press coverage of an advanced technology for brain imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, that has gained significant public visibility over the past ten years. Discussion of issues of scientific validity and interpretation dominated over ethical content in both the popular and specialized press. Coverage of research on higher order cognitive phenomena specifically attributed broad personal and societal meaning to neuroimages. The authors conclude that neuroscience provides an ideal model for exploring science communication and ethics in a multicultural context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Racine
- Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Québec, Canada
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149
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Responsabilités Neuroéthiques. Can J Neurol Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.1017/s0317167100005126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT:Neuroscience represents a dynamic area of biomedical research where neuroethical responsibilities for researchers are emerging. This paper is the companion piece to the English-language one also published in this issue of the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. It serves as a review of recent advances in neuroethics through the lens of three cases: (1) incidental finding of anomalies in neuroimaging research; (2) creation of neurotechnologies that can lead to cognitive enhancement, and (3) responsible communication of research results. We propose and discuss a multidimensional framework of neuroethical responsibilities to help tackle these issues. The framework reiterates the fundamental role of scientific integrity, puts in the foreground social responsibilities pertaining to the eventual use of neuroscience knowledge, and highlights self-reflection in research and training of researchers.
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150
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Illes J, De Vries R, Cho MK, Schraedley-Desmond P. ELSI priorities for brain imaging. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2006; 6:W24-31. [PMID: 16500831 PMCID: PMC1560342 DOI: 10.1080/15265160500506274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most compelling technologies for imaging the brain, functional MRI (fMRI) produces measurements and persuasive pictures of research subjects making cognitive judgments and even reasoning through difficult moral decisions. Even after centuries of studying the link between brain and behavior, this capability presents a number of novel significant questions. For example, what are the implications of biologizing human experience? How might neuroimaging disrupt the mysteries of human nature, spirituality, and personal identity? Rather than waiting for an ethical agenda to emerge from some unpredictable combination of the concerns of ethicists and researchers, the attention of journalists, or after controversy is sparked by research that cannot be retracted, we queried key figures in bioethics and the humanities, neuroscience, media, industry, and patient advocacy in focus groups and interviews. We identified specific ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) that highlight researcher obligations and the nonclinical impact of the technology at this new frontier.
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