INTERNATIONAL NEUROETHICS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER MAY 2012
IN THIS ISSUE 2012 INS Annual Meeting Set for 2 Call for Abstracts October in New Orleans
3 Meet the Member Adrian Carter, INS Laissez le bon temps roulez! Join us in Communications Committee and Addiction Workgroup New Orleans, LA on Thursday and Friday, October 11 and 12 for the 2012 Annual Meeting. The draft program so far 5 Upcoming Events includes interactive panels and talks on wide ranging topics, including 7 The Many Questions of neuroethics and Post Traumatic Stress Neuroethics Disorder, addiction, and altering K. Graham, Executive Director, personhood – with plenty of time for International Neuroethics Society meeting colleagues and networking. J. Illes, Co-Founder and Governing Board Member, Location New Orleans Marriott, 555 International Neuroethics Society Canal Street, New Orleans, LA
9 Board Elections Dates/Times Immediately before the Society for Neuroscience Meeting 10 Survey Results: Neuroscientists and • Thursday October 11 - 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm Poster Session and Keynote address. Followed by a reception with cash bar. Neuroethics David Sloan, Ph.D. • Friday October 12 - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, includes breakfast and Postdoctoral Fellow, West Virginia lunch. University New INS Board member, Nita Farahany, Professor of law and philosophy at Vanderbilt University will give a keynote talk. We also 11-12 Conference plan a session on the ethical challenges of using animats or hybrots, Reports: NYU Bioethics living neural networks, created to process components of computer Conference and chips or that can be kept alive outside of the body for other uses. Cambridge Science Festival Seminar The Abstract submission deadline is 5:00 pm EDT July 2. Abstracts submitted to SfN are acceptable. Poster presentations will be on Christian Morales, MA Thursday evening, however the posters will remain up for the duration Bioethics Dr Samar Reghunandanan, of the meeting allowing more opportunities for you to share your work. MD MRC Psychiatry Details here. Registration is now available and the agenda can be found here. 13 Calendar
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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS President Steve Hyman Abstract submission for the 2012 International Executive Board Neuroethics Society meeting is now open. Turhan Canli We welcome abstracts reporting recent results in the ield of neuroethics Hank Greely and related topics. Investigators at any career stage are encouraged to Barbara Sahakian submit abstracts. Selections will be made based on content, available space Julian Savulescu and overall balance. In 2011 over 50 posters were selected for display. Paul Wolpe
Five submissions will be selected for Oral Presentations. Two Governing Board submissions will receive a $250 Travel Award. Twenty- ive abstracts will be published in the online version of AJOB- Neuroscience. Verity Brown Nita Farahany Mark Frankel Abstracts should be up to 500 words (including title, author names and Judy Illes af iliations and references if applicable). At least one author must be an Husseini Manji INS member and register for the Annual Meeting. Abstracts will be Helen Mayberg reviewed by the INS Program Committee. Work presented in abstracts Jorge Moll must must comply with local IRB governance and with the INS Abstract Jonathan Moreno Submission and Disclosure Statement. Edward Rover Emily Murphy, Student FORMAT your abstract as follows: (1) All text left justi ied; (2) Title in Representative to the Board capitals; (3) Authors' initials and surnames, with superscripts for Executive Director institutional af iliations if more than one; (4) General question or issue being addressed should be stated at outset; (5) References optional and no Karen Graham more than 5, formatted for AJOB-N. kgraham@ neuroethicssociety.org The deadline is 5:00 p.m. EDT on JULY 2, 2012. Submit your abstract to [email protected]. Director of After submitting, you will receive an email to con irm that your Communications abstract was received. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Alison W. Bennet Accepted presentations will receive noti ication by August 1. abennett@ neuroethicssociety.org
Membership Coordinator POSTER SPECIFICATIONS: When preparing your poster for the meeting, please keep the dimensions within 4 ft x 4 ft or 1.1 m x 1.1 m. The Chelsea Ott title should be large enough to read from several yards away. Other [email protected] suggestions: include igures if applicable, use bulleted points as much as possible and avoid long sections of text. Administrator
Cat Ferguson cferguson@ neuroethicssociety.org
The International Neuroethics Society is an interdisciplinary group of scholars, scientists, clinicians and other professionals who share an interest in the social, legal, ethical and policy implications of advances in neuroscience. Our mission is to promote the development and responsible application of neuroscience through www.neuroethicssociety.org interdisciplinary and international research, education, outreach and public engagement for the benefit of people of all nations, ethnicities, and cultures.
HTTP://WWW.NEUROETHICSSOCIETY.ORG 2 INTERNATIONAL NEUROETHICS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER MAY 2012 Meet a Member ADRIAN CARTER
This is the second “Meet the Member” column in our new series. philosophy as well Adrian is on the INS Communication Committee and the as neuroscience and Addiction Workgroup. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow in psychology. Public Health funded by the Australian Government’s My foray into National Health and Medical Research Council at the neuroethics, Addiction Neuroethics Unit within the University of however, was more Queensland's Centre for Clinical Research in Brisbane, of good fortune than Australia. forward planning. A Where were you born, and how old are you? PhD opportunity in neuroethics with Ipswich, just outside of Brisbane, Australia. I was Professor Hall born in the summer of 1974, a day before the largest presented itself at lood to hit the city. the Queensland Where were you educated, and what did you Brain Institute at a study? time when I was looking for a new challenge. Working I studied at The University of Queensland, Australia. within neuroethics has enabled me to engage in ideas My original quali ication was in Chemical Engineering, and concerns that I was not able to in either however, a growing interest in the mind, experience and neuroscience and philosophy alone. Neuroethics has behaviour led me to return to complete training in also enabled me to make (I hope) a tangible neuroscience, with additional majors in art history and contribution to public health policy and the discourse philosophy. My degree was primarily in the on neuroscience, as well as satiate my more intellectual psychological sciences, although I also spent 5 years interests. working as a research assistant studying the genetic How did you get involved with the International and molecular development of the vertebrate nervous Neuroethics Society? system, mostly in the zebra ish. These diverse Again, serendipity played an important role. That and a experiences have been invaluable to my neuroethical shared love of German sausages and beer. I contacted research. members of the Neuroethics Society who were giving a Where do you live now? series of presentations at the annual Science and Brisbane. I’m working with Professor Wayne Hall at Society Conference at EMBO, Heidelberg in 2006 to see the Addiction Neuroethics Unit, University of if there was an opportunity for members of the newly Queensland Centre for Clinical Research following a formed Neuroethics Society to meet. There was a small postdoc at the School of Behavioural Sciences, gathering of members of the Society, including Judy Illes University of Melbourne, Australia. and Turhan Canli. All were very generous with their time, insights and advice, and many continue to be What languages do you speak? friends and mentors. Only English, although I’m trying to learn Vietnamese What area of neuroethics interests you the most? when there is spare time. My interests in neuroethics (so far) have not focussed What initially drew you to neuroethics, and on a particular condition or aspect of cognition, but on when? the broader issues raised in conducting, communicating I have been interested in the relationship between and translating neuroscience research into policy and brain function and our experience of being a person treatment. My interests fall very heavily on the ethics of since my early undergraduate training. It was this broad neuroscience side of the equation. concern that led me to search for answers in art and
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Through working with Professor Hall, I have 1) looking back when moving forward so that we learn the become increasingly interested in more pragmatic lessons of recent medical history and 2) greater concerns such as the context in which health care is engagement with a range of stakeholders that are the provided, the social and political drivers of mental ultimate benefactors and utilisers of neuroscience research. This view may reflect my bias, but such developments are health issues, and the various lenses through which already underway. neuroscience research is understood. My main focus is the impact of neuroscience research on our What advice would you give to someone looking understanding and treatment of addiction. For me, to break into the field of neuroethics? addiction is a fertile area for neuroethical analysis, Get involved with the Society’s activities, ask questions where philosophical concerns, such as the possibility of of more senior igures and be inquisitive. I have found agency and control over behaviour that is dependent researchers in neuroethics, and the members of the INS upon neural functioning, coalesce with pragmatic social in particular, to be some of the most generous, collegial and public health imperatives. and supportive researchers in academia. I’m not just What projects are you currently involved in? saying this because I’m writing for the Society newsletter. I’ve found that engaging in discussions and As part of the Addiction Neuroethics Unit, UQCCR, we activities with members of the society (even over are examining the impact of neurobiological bratwurst and beer) has opened up a range of explanations of addiction on attitudes toward addiction, opportunities for travel and collaboration that would its treatment and individuals with an addiction. We are not have been possible otherwise, and I have met some doing this using a range of qualitative and quantitative truly engaging people and forged some strong methods. I have also begun an exciting collaboration friendships. with friends and colleagues at the National Core for Neuroethics, UBC, looking at the stigma encountered by What was the last country you visited and why? individuals with addiction and other mental disorders. The US. I was invited to collaborate on the concluding It is often assumed that promotion of the chapter on a book on the ethical issues raised by genetic neurobiological origins of these disorders would reduce research alcohol dependence with colleagues, the stigma faced by these individuals and lead to Professors Audrey Chapman (University of Connecticut) increased treatment seeking and improved health and Jonathan Caplan (Oregon State). We met in Portland outcomes. There is evidence to doubt these claims. This – a fantastic city that I hope to visit again this year. The study will attempt to examine this question and will book will be published later this year by Cambridge hopefully help to develop tools that will reduce stigma University Press. Australia is a long way from the rest of and discrimination and improve the health of those the Neuroethics Community, so the trip also allowed me with a mental illness. to travel to Washington DC for the annual International Neuroethics Society and Society for Neuroscience I have also received a small grant to better meetings and to catch up with many North American understand the development of severe compulsive friends and colleagues. The trip was too brief, as usual. behaviours in some patients with Parkinson’s disease treated with dopamine replacement therapy. This Do you have a favorite quotation? research will not only help clinicians to provide better “The better is the enemy of the good” by Voltaire. I think treatment of patients who develop these iatrogenic that it is an important reminder that we shouldn’t let compulsive behaviours, but will help us to understand unrealistic ideals or dogmatic adherence to theory these patients’ experience. prevent us from making important and bene icial Where do you see the future of neuroethics changes. This probably re lects my pragmatic approach heading in the next five years? to ethical and policy analysis. I think increasingly, neuroethics is going to need to consider the social and political constraints that determine how new scientific developments are understood and Submitting an abstract? provided to society, such as limitations on funding for both Remember to renew your research and treatment and the impact of an unreflective scientific enthusiasm and optimism that fails to take these membership! constraints into consideration. This will involve two things:
HTTP://WWW.NEUROETHICSSOCIETY.ORG 4 INTERNATIONAL NEUROETHICS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER MAY 2012 Upcoming Events
Federation of European British Neuroscience Neuroscience Societies Association 2013 Festival of
Sunday, July 15, 2012 Neuroscience Barcelona, Spain April 7-10, 2013 European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB) and The Barbican Centre, London International Neuroethics Society (INS) collaboration European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB) and The William Safire Seminar on Neuroethics International Neuroethics Society (INS) collaboration Invading the brain: what are the ethical issues on invasive treatments for brain disorders? Drugs and Society The neuroethics of enhancing or erasing memories Deep brain stimulation has transformed the lives of many people with Parkinson’s disease and dystonia in Panel: Barry Everitt, Cambridge University, Judy Illes, recent years, and now neurologists, neurosurgeons University of British Columbia, David Nutt, European and neuroscientists are investigating this same Dana Alliance for the Brain, and Barbara Sahakian, technique for a range of psychiatric disorders. But can Cambridge University a surgical procedure effectively treat disorders where genetic susceptibility, developmental abnormalities, Cognitive enhancement is of great interest to the and environmental stressors all play a part? Stem cell general public and has implications for society, transplantation generates public hope and fear in particularly in regard to the increasing lifestyle use of equal measures whilst the research itself continues to cognitive enhancing drugs. Therefore, it is important to challenge scientists. Is it right to offer vulnerable consider the potential harms of these drugs, for patients experimental forms of treatment? Promising example substance abuse, unknown effects on the new therapies can be controversial. In this session we developing brain or coercion at school or work. will explore how the ethical and practical limits of Nevertheless, with the rapidly developing ield of innovation might change in the future. pharmacogenomics we may be able to gain maximum bene its with minimum harms to the individual and This event is named after William Sa ire, chairman of society as a whole. Certainly, the bene its of safe and the Dana Foundation from 2000 until his death in effective cognitive enhancing drugs to society, 2009, who considered neuroethics an integral and vital including the ageing population and people with component of brain research. neuropsychiatric disorders and brain injury, are great.
The formal presentation will be followed by an What if you could erase unpleasant memories? Would informal get-together. you and should you? Finally, how do addictions develop? If you are addicted do you still have free will? Con irmed speakers are: Helen Mayberg (Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Emory University) and John http://www.bna.org.uk/events/view.php? Rothwell (Professor of Human Neurophysiology at permalink=VIKPE1JP9D University College London). Others to be announced.
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Brain Matters 3 A Competition! A Prize! Values at the Crossroads of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Psychology Until June 30
October 24-25, 2012 From now until June 30th: the INS member who contributes the most to our Linked In site Cleveland, Ohio conversations in terms of quantity and qua lity of posts, as judged by the INS The International Neuroethics Society is a collaborator for Communications Committee members, will be this conference and endorses Brain Matters 3. awarded FREE REGISTRATION for the Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Brain Matters conferences provide a venue for collaboration and learning in the area of neuroethics. And tell your non-member students and colleagues -- The plenary speakers at Brain Matters 3 will address From now to June 30, the users who contribute the ethical challenges in the treatment of and research for most to our Facebook site in terms of quantity and conditions with neurological symptomatology, but that quality of posts, as judged by the INS Com- are without identi iable biological correlates/causes. munications Committee members, will be The complexities of suffering and disability awarded FREE MEMBERSHIP in the International experienced by individuals with these conditions are Neuroethics Society (Value $60 regular membership or signi icant, including exposure to dangerous and futile $30 student membership) Four prizes will be treatments. awarded.
Parallel sessions will include accepted abstracts from a broad range of neuroethics interests. In addition, patients, physicians, neuroscientists, and ethicists will give presentations designed to appeal to a broad audience. Please see the call for abstracts and conference information at http:// www.clevelandclinic.org/BrainMatters3 Penn Neuroscience Bootcamp July 30—August 8 Like to blog? Have something to say to your colleagues? Contribute to our joint blog University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Through a with Oxford Center for combination of lectures, break-out groups, panel Neuroethics at http:// discussions and laboratory visits, participants will gain blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/ an understanding of the methods of neuroscience and neuroethics/ key indings on the cognitive and social-emotional functions of the brain, lifespan development and disorders of brain function. For more information, follow this link.
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sustained interaction, learning, and critical discussion The Many Questions surrounding the ethical issues emerging from neuroscience research around the world. From the of Neuroethics initial interest of these few, the Society enjoys a membership of over 300 today. Board member Judy Illes, Ph.D. and INS Executive Director Karen Graham wrote the following at the request of Dr. Michael Patterson, Editor, The Carrier, the newsletter of What Do We Do? David Kopf Instruments. Kopf Instruments is a World leader The Society held its inaugural meeting in November in the design and manufacture of a complete line of high 2008 at the American Association for the quality stereotaxic instruments and accessories for Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, D.C. in neurophysiological research. Kopf sponsors the David Kopf conjunction with the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Neuroethics Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (http://www.sfn.org). annual meeting. Interest was high among the students and faculty attendees representing the US, Canada, Rapid progress in neuroscience research is prompting Japan, the UK, Mexico, Italy, and Australia. The range new understandings of how people think and feel, are of topics at the sessions was also signi icant and motivated to act, and make decisions. These advances wide: pediatric bipolar disorder, cognitive enhancers, are increasingly moving neuroscience into non- neuroscience methods in forensics, the medical societal uses and bringing consideration of commercialization of neuroscience, and deep brain the bene its and risk, impact and consequences of this stimulation. An article in the Chronicle of Higher movement. In classrooms, courtrooms, of ices and Education captured why there was such the interest in homes around the world, new neurotechnologies are the meeting exquisitely: “With society growing resulting in the need to understand the ethical increasingly nervous about some of the applications of implications of developments such as the brain science, 200 academic researchers, students, pharmacological manipulation of normal brain lawyers, and others gathered here on Thursday to chew function, the use of personal information from brain on some of the knottier questions that neuroscience is images in the workplace, the explanation of behavior raising, like whether to use drugs to enhance IQ or using brain-based concepts in the courtroom, whether advances in brain studies have shattered the attention enhancement on a request basis, notion of free will.” neuroscience applications used in corporate and advertising campaigns, and new techniques in war In November 2010, the Society held its second and defense capabilities. The framework in which meeting in San Diego as a satellite of the SfN. With neuroethics resides – both societal and medical – is as attendees from even a greater number of countries immense as the contributions neuroscience has made than before, especially from Europe, presentations and continues to make. and posters spanned topics ranging from the biological basis of moral behavior, the neuroethics of addiction, responsibility for criminal acts, forced Who Are We? pharmacotherapy for people with addictions, con licts The International Neuroethics Society (INS) is an of interest in psychiatry, to the the impact that interdisciplinary group of scholars, scientists, neuroethics is having across the globe. The Society clinicians and other professionals who share an also devoted much attention to its youngest members, interest in the social, legal, ethical and policy with special sessions devoted to career development implications of advances in neuroscience. The and advancement, and neuroethics education through mission of the Society is to promote the development multidisciplinary lens of its more senior constituents. and responsible application of neuroscience through interdisciplinary and international research, Just passed – our third annual meeting was held at the education, outreach and public engagement for the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C. – bene it of people of all nations, ethnicities, and again as a satellite of SfN. Some topics were cultures. Established in 2006 at a small meeting in investigated more closely in this 2011 meeting – Asilomar, California, a few neuroethics pioneers national security, predictive testing, imaging for lie decided that an organization was needed to promote detection – suggesting their salience to the ield.
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Discussions included brain stimulation to enhance cognitive abilities and attorneys discussing real cases using fMRI evidence in court. Newly introduced subjects included the perspectives on life from a deaf man getting cochlear implants. International attendees were from Italy, Spain, Japan, Sweden, NEW OPENING! Brazil, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Graduate Editorial Intern Germany, Israel, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK. We American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience also heard loud and clear the call to expand, reach out and grow. A unique opportunity for graduate students to get high- level editorial experience for the premier neuroethics Where Do We Go From Here? journal and of icial journal of the International Neuroethics Society. Interns will have access to an As the power of neuroscience emerges in dynamic international community of renowned neuroethics ways and with ever greater acuity, so do related scholars and innovation in neuroethics scholarship. questions and controversy about the impact neurotechnology will have. Members of the Society As editorial intern you will be responsible for attending tackle these issues head-on through unfailing biweekly editorial meetings and contributing dedication and efforts. The hope is strong, the intellectually to the editorial responsibility of the dialogue is signi icant, and the hype is real. Our journal, organization, and transcription of interviews of prominent neuroethicists for publication in the journal, commitment is to bring to attention the broad impact publicity of the journal to the neuroscience community, and intellectual merits arising from neuroethical and maintenance of an international organization discussions, to inform society with concrete results, database. Innovation and initiative is appreciated and and to make change. We invite you to join us on this respected from the intern and there is some liberty to journey. Sign up for our Facebook page. Contribute to pursue projects of your own design within the scope of our blog: http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/ the journal’s mission. Total hours approximated 10-20 neuroethics/ hours a week depending on editorial cycle.
Become a member of this fast-growing movement. Please contact [email protected] for more For more information about the INS, including its information. leadership and membership, please visit our website. www.neuroethicssociety.org. Deadline: May 31st, 2012
Eligibility: Must currently be a graduate student, from WELCOME CAT any discipline, with an interest in neuroethics and FERGUSON! editorial work. Must be organized and capable of meeting deadlines. Must be able to attend regular A NEW ADMINISTRATOR JOINS THE INS TEAM meetings located at Emory.
Cat Ferguson hails from Northeastern University in Boston, where she majors How to apply: Send a 1-page letter of interest, CV, and a in behavioral letter of recommendation to [email protected] neuroescience. She is president and staff writer of NUScience, the campus American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience science magazine. Cat has Emory University been a member of the 1531 Dickey Drive International Neuroethics Atlanta, GA 30322 Society since the summer http://www.ajobneuroscience.com/ of 2011.
HTTP://WWW.NEUROETHICSSOCIETY.ORG 8 INTERNATIONAL NEUROETHICS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER MAY 2012 Board Elections
We are pleased to introduce six members recently Edward F. Rover, J.D. is elected to the INS Governing Board: Chairman and CEO of the Dana Foundation. New to the INS Board: The Dana Foundation is Professor Verity Brown is a private philanthropic Head of School, School of organization that Psychology & Neuroscience, supports brain research University of St Andrews, through grants and UK. She holds a Royal educates the public Society (Industry) about the successes and Fellowship, working potential of brain collaboratively with research. Until December 31, 2003, he was a scientists at Organon senior partner at White & Case, L.L.P. in New Schering Plough (Newhouse, York where he was active in the UK). Her research is representation of tax-exempt organizations. concerned with how the brain organizes responses and controls actions. Re-elected:
Turhan Canli, Ph.D., is Nita Farahany, J.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor in is Associate Professor of Psychology and Law and Philosophy at Director, SCAN (Social, Vanderbilt University. Cognitive, and Affective She focuses on the legal, Neuroscience) Center at philosophical and social Stony Brook University. issues arising from His primary research developments in the interests cover the biosciences, particularly ields of psychology, related to behavioral neuroscience, and genetics and molecular biology neuroscience. focusing on the hormonal and neuro-genetic basis of individual differences in emotion and cognition. Mark Frankel, Ph.D. is Director, Scienti ic Responsibility, Human Rights Barbara and Law Program at the Sahakian is American Association for the Professor of Advancement of Science Clinical (AAAS). His areas of interest Neuro- are genetic modi ications, psychology at stem cell research, research the ethics, bioethics, Department neuroscience and the law, of Psychiatry and social responsibilities of and MRC/ scientists. Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge. Her research is aimed at understanding the neural basis of cognitive, emotional and behavioral dysfunction in order to develop more effective pharmacological and psychological treatment.
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demonstrated some confusion about what the ield is Board Elections, continued about. 24% wrote some variation of “the ethics of neuroscience”. 19% stated that it had to do with the A special thanks goes to the Nominating Committee: impact of neuroscience on society. 17% referenced the Stephanie Bird, Mark Frankel, Alan Leshner, Richard term “morality” with respect to research or Nakamura, Julian Savulescu, Barbara Sahakian and chair researchers. 10% wrote that it had to do with rules for Hank Greely. They created a large pool of candidates and neuroscientists in doing research. 13% speci ically narrowed the selection for presentation to the Executive mentioned the effect of neuroscience on animals or the Committee. Final votes were by secret ballot. Details of environment. 4% linked it to legal issues. 2 thought it the nominating process are on the website http:// had to do with how humans make decisions, and 3 www.neuroethicssociety.org/governance-statement thought that it was the use of neuroscience to guide the ield of ethics. There were some more colorful In 2013, the terms of the following board members will responses, including: expire: Hank Greely, Steve Hyman, Judy Illes, Julian Savulescu, and Paul Root Wolpe. “Neuroethics slows, in many cases, advances in science” “Behavior of neuroscientists” “Respecting our ability to gain knowledge about neuroscience” Survey Results: Young “The intersection between practical philosophy and Neuroscientists Interested In, But neuroscience, with a focus on empiria” Unclear On, Neuroethics “I don’t know what that is” Most illuminating was a question asking if the possible impact of their research on society in luenced their Submitted by David Sloan, PhD decision to pursue their particular ield. 65% of In April, I put up a survey on Neuronline, the Society for respondents said that it did. Among those that Neuroscience’s member’s-only online networking site. explained their thinking, those that considered an The survey was open to all Neuronline users and was impact on society were split between those that wanted advertised in multiple communities. After one week, to cure or alleviate a particular disease, and those that there were 96 respondents. 93% of respondents had a vague sense that their science would bene it identi ied themselves as students or post-docs, not society in some way. 6% noted that it would be wrong surprising given that Neuronline users skew to a young for a scientist to use animals in research and/or public demographic. The stated ields of the respondents funds if their work didn’t somehow better society. were spread evenly across the neuroscience research Those that said that they didn’t consider the impact on spectrum. society stated that they either entered neuroscience for unde ined personal reasons, or that were driven only by The survey results indicated a strong interest in pure curiosity about the brain. Neuroethicists will note neuroethics among these young neuroscientists. When that not one respondent seemed to consider the impact asked “Do neuroethical topics interest you?” 40% of their research on the public discussion of free will or marked “absolutely” and 52% answered either “yes, I the sense of self. guess” or “somewhat.” Only 3 respondents expressed no interest. These results indicate that there is a great interest in neuroethics among the next generation of When asked if the research of the respondents had neuroscientists, but there is still much work to be done neuroethical implications, 61% said yes. But, when in informing neuroscientists about the full breadth and asked to rate how relevant neuroethical questions to scope of neuroethics research. INS members should be their work, the average answer was 6 out of 10, encouraged by the response to this question: “Would indicating some lack of clarity as to exactly how you feel comfortable sitting down and talking with a neuroethics related to their work. That lack of clarity neuroethicist about your work?” 66% said yes, and wasn’t surprising, since 88% indicated that they had 31% said maybe. The door for dialogue is open wide. never received any classes or training on neuroethics. Full survey results will be posted in the "Neuroscience The respondents were asked to de ine “neuroethics” in and Society" Community on Neuronline. For more one sentence. Responses varied greatly and information contact [email protected]
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The extent of the in luence of moral intuitions in motivating behavior was a common theme in many of the presentations. The discussions also included questions about the differing roles neuroscience and philosophy can play in normative discussions, which was most noticeably brought to the forefront by Guy Kahane’s presentation entitled “Is, Ought, and the Brain.”
While the irst half of the conference involved a mostly retrospective look on the past decade of neuroscienti ic research on moral cognition, the second half introduced a prospective approach, anticipating future applications for that research and their social implications. A panel nearing the end of the second day asked whether the 2012 NYU Bioethics latest research in moral psychology should be applied in attempts to alter moral behavior for the better. Having Conference: The Moral presented her work on the neurochemical manipulation of moral behavior in the irst half of the conference, Brain Molly Crockett returned in the second half to review the evidence for the possibility of pharmacological manipulation of morally relevant behaviors in humans Submitted by Christian Morales while making sure to emphasize several obstacles she views are in the way of achieving speci ic, desired From March 30 to April 1st, New York University hosted results. The possibility of a “morality pill,” however, has a two-part conference, The Moral Brain. The irst part, large implications for those in the medical community. entitled "The Signi icance of Neuroscience for Morality: In light of this, Patrick Hopkins presented a way to Lessons from a Decade of Research," was organized by apply a disease framework to moral cognition. S. the NYU Center for Bioethics in collaboration with the Matthew Liao even saw implications for societal Duke Kenan Institute for Ethics. The second part, “Can expectations on parents’ obligations to their children, Moral Behavior Be Improved or Enhanced?,” was jointly which he reviewed in his discussion on parental love organized by the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for pills. A series of speakers considering the rami ications Bioethics and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging of neuro-modulated behavioral enhancement for the Technologies. Speakers from a variety of ields, law and national security helped bring the conference including neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, to a close. presented their work to an audience of over 200 people. For a complete list of presenters and presentation Opening up the irst day of the conference, Joshua abstracts please refer to http://bioethics.as.nyu.edu/ Greene presented his work on the dual-process theory object/bioethics.events.20120330.conference of moral judgment, which relies on evidence from fMRI studies to show connections between characteristically deontological judgments and emotional responses, on the one hand, and characteristically consequentialist Looking for a Good Read? judgments and cognitive processes on the other hand. Immediately following that, James Woodward presented See our website to check out books by evidence that questions the existence of a sharp fellow INS members. contrast between emotion and cognition, arguing instead that there is a value signal common to all types Have you written or read something that of moral decision-making. The side-by-side you think would be of interest to other presentation of opposing views in several current debates in neuroethics was a feature throughout the members? Submit it to entire conference. [email protected] with a brief description and link to have it included on Paul Bloom began the second day by reviewing ongoing our website. experiments studying the emergence of moral intuitions and motivators in babies and young children.
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lectured about the brain behind the “excess.” Inabilities Cambridge Science to change behaviour in both OCD and addictions are known to be related to reduced cognitive lexibility. Festival Seminar: According to him, bias towards habitual behaviour may underlie the drive to perform compulsions. Moreover, Understanding Excess he felt that in subjects with OCD there seems to be an imbalance between habitual and goal-directed behaviour. It was interesting to note that reversal of Submitted by Dr Samar Reghunandanan MD MRC Psychiatry goal-directed behaviour is regulated by the Edited by Cat Ferguson orbitofrontal cortex and basal ganglia, the circuits between which are fundamentally noted to be “Understanding Excess” was a neuropsychiatry seminar dysfunctional in OCD and related disorders. hosted by the University of Cambridge on the 14th of March 2012, one of the many free events to celebrate Following Professor Robbins, it was Professor Naomi the Cambridge Science Festival. This year’s theme was Fineberg’s turn to lecture on the clinical aspects of OCD. “breaking boundaries”, re lecting the year of the She was of the opinion that whilst OCD and addiction Olympic and Paralympics games. The Festival are theoretically diverse, some degree of convergence is showcased the boundaries being broken in science, also notable. Professor Fineberg highlighted the need technology, engineering, and mathematics. for “research enhanced health care” - healthcare that balances patients’ needs with research evidence-based The seminar was chaired by Professor Barbara treatment. Sahakian (Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge). The panel members included Professor Trevor Robbins Finally it was the turn of Mr. Dominic Blyth, a service (Dept of Experimental Psychology and Behavioural and user, to discuss his experiences of suffering from OCD. Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of His description of the onset of symptoms following the Cambridge), Professor Naomi Fineberg (Consultant tragic death of his brother in a car accident and Psychiatrist, Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation subsequent periodic relapses illustrated how Trust and Visiting Professor, University of symptoms of OCD are often triggered by life stresses. Hertfordshire), and Mr. Dominic Blyth, a service user His report of onset of symptoms in childhood mirrored with a long history of obsessive compulsive disorder Professor Sahakian’s introductory remarks about early (OCD). onset of symptoms in OCD. He also discussed the wide disparity in the provision of services across the country. One of the aims of this seminar was to highlight the convergence of two disorders, obsessive compulsive When asked about the relevance of “social capital” in disorder and addictions, both associated with OCD, Mr. Blyth felt that due to stigma, sufferers of OCD compulsive urges to perform behaviours of a ritualised are reluctant to discuss their illness, which can lead to and habitual nature. The seminar was well-attended, the disruption of their family and social support with around 200 people packed into the auditorium. systems. In keeping with the typical course of this disabling disorder, Mr. Blyth considered OCD to be a Professor Barbara Sahakian opened the seminar by lifelong struggle. From a service user’s perspective, he introducing the panel members and talked about the felt that beating the stigma and developing better drugs need for a paradigm shift from treatment to prevention for treatment should be the priority for clinical services of mental disorders, since, symptoms of most (75%) and research in OCD. mental disorders start at an early age. Prevention and early treatment in mental health, she felt, should be a The forum also offered an opportunity for Mr. Daniel priority in keeping with the Department of Health’s Nabarro, one of the invited guests for the seminar to strategy of “No health without mental health.” highlight his role as the chairperson of “OCD ACTION”- a UK national charity for sufferers of OCD. Professor Robbins, an expert in cognitive neuroscience,
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Calendar
May 14 2012 Law and Science Young Scholars Informal Symposium and Prize, Pavia, Italy, This symposium will be the latest edition of the event which has taken place in the last two years at the University of Pavia on the initiative of the European Centre for Law, Science New Technologies (ECLT), University of Pavia. The Symposium aims to create a forum for post-graduate scholars, PhD students and early-career researchers working in the area of Law&Science. It will provide participants with an opportunity to present and discuss their research with senior researchers of the Law Science community in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. Follow this link for more information. Contact Alessandra Malerba, [email protected], with any questions.
May 25 The Truth About Lies: the Neuroscience, Law, and Ethics of Lie Detection Technologies, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, You Can’t Handle the Truth! The Neuroscience Program, Center for Ethics Neuroethics Program, and the Scholars Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research (SPINR) are combining forces to hold a symposium on the intersection of neuroscience and law pertaining to the use of fMRI and other lie detection technologies in the courtroom. Drs. Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and Biosciences at Stanford Law School, Daniel Langleben, a professor of Psychiatry at University of Pennsylvania and pioneer of using fMRI to detect lies, and Steven Laken, founder, president, and CEO of Cephos; a company that markets the use of fMRI for courtroom lie detection will be providing their expertise through a series of talks. Following the talks, Emory’s Carolyn Meltzer, Chair of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, will join the speakers answering questions from the audience during a panel discussion moderated by Julie Seaman from Emory Law School. Mark your calendars for 1pm-5pm, for this thought-provoking event. See this link for more information.
June 13 - 14 Brocher Symposium, "Changing the Brain, Changing The Society: Clinical and Ethical Implications of Neuromodulation Techniques in Neurology and Psychiatry", Geneva, Switzerland, Organized with Patrik Vuilleumier (Geneva University Neuroscience Center), David Sander (Swiss Center for Affective Sciences) and Bernard Baertschi (Geneva University Biomedical Ethics Institute). See this link for more information.
June 17 – 22 Summer 2012 Moral Evolution Workshop, Erice, Italy, The Etore Majorana Foundation and the Centre for Scienti ic Culture, International School of Ethology, is sponsoring a moral evolution workshop in Summer 2012 entitled "The Evolution of Morality: the Biology and Philosophy of Human Conscience”. Evolutionary biologists, ethologists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, psychologists, developmental psychologists, philosophers and theologians will discuss the central question of what morality and conscience are. The Speakers will be: Ara Norenzayan, Christopher Boehm, Darcia Narvaez, Frans de Waal, Jan Verplaetse, Jeffrey Schloss, Liane Young, Melanie Killen, Oren Harman, Owen Flanagan, Patricia Churchland, Phillip Kitcher, Pier Francesco Ferrari, Richard Joyce, Simon Blackburn, Telmo Pievani. The Location is Erice in Sicily, Italy. The dates are June 17th through June 22nd. For registration, click on this link.
June 21-22 The German Society for Brain Stimulation, Berlin, Germany, The third annual conference of the German Society for Brain Stimulation. For more information contact [email protected]
July 2 – 13 Summer 2012 Bioethics Course, Rome, Italy, The 2012 Summer Course in Bioethics organized by the School of Bioethics and the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights of the Regina Apostolorum Ponti ical University. The topic of the course will be: “Neurobioethics: The Human Person at the Center of Neuroscience, Ethics, Law and Society”. To register, please visit this link. E-mail: [email protected].
October 11 – 12 International Neuroethics Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, The Call for Abstracts can be found at this link. Stay tuned to our website for additional information.
October 11 – 12 Third International Workshop on Functional Neurosurgery: Movement Disorders, Pain, Psychiatric Illness, Ethics, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen’s Square, London. For more information, follow this link.
Review our event calendar online and submit your events to [email protected]
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Farewell Chelsea!
Upon her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, our administrator Chelsea Ott will be resigning her post later this month. After two and half years with the International Neuroethics Society, she is sad to go, but thankful for the wonderful members she has gotten to meet. Chelsea is excited to build on the experience she had working on the INS Annual Meetings, as she moves to New York City to begin her career as an event planner with Fête.
INS Newsletter Alison Bennett, Editor Cat Ferguson, Assistant Editor P.O. Box 34252, Bethesda, Maryland 20827 www.neuroethicssociety.org
Our mission is to promote the development and responsible application of neuroscience through interdisciplinary and international research, education, outreach and public engagement for the benefit of people of all nations, ethnicities, and cultures. Questions and comments about the International Neuroethics Society should be directed to Karen Graham, Executive Director, [email protected]
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