Project Summary / Abstract Although BRAIN 2.0 called for the BRAIN Initiative to “prioritize diversity and inclusion as a fundamental pillar,” research with the human neuroimaging technologies being developed by BRAIN Initiative continues to rely on non-representative convenience samples.
Project Summary Public and private research funders have heavily invested in the application of implantable neurotechnologies to improve the management of treatment-resistant conditions and loss of function (e.g., deep brain stimulation (DBS) systems for recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, disorders of consciousness, movement disorders, and psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression). These devices are trialed with people who have had severe impairments and treatment-resistant disorders for many years.
Project abstract BRAIN pioneers are people who take on significant risk as participants in first-in-human or early neurotechnology studies for the sake of helping to further science.
Project Summary/Abstract The objective of “Brain Computer Interfaces and Disability: Developing an Inclusive Ethical Framework (BCI- DEF)” is to use structured vignettes, video-supported interviews, and a deliberative democracy approach to assess and analyze diverse, critical stakeholder perspectives about the benefits, risks, and ethical challenges of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology. BCIs measure and interpret brain signals and interface with a device to allow users to perform a task, such as communication or movement.
Project Summary Neurotechnologies used to treat brain disorders and diseases can drastically change brain function and behavior, monitor brain activity, and collect and transmit personal health data. Industry-academia (IA) partnerships play a critical role in bringing neurotechnologies to market for public benefit. However, there are significant ethical issues that emerge from these partnerships, especially given the unique capacities of neurotechnologies.
Project Summary Approximately, 40% of TBI patients discharged from the hospital will develop long-term disability with 70% experiencing chronic cognitive impairments that disrupt vocational, social, and emotional functioning. To foster the reentry of people with severe to moderate traumatic brain injury (smTBI) back into society, as envisioned by the Americans with Disabilities Act, we need to understand the opportunities and challenges posed by cognitive restoration.
PROJECT SUMMARY Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and adaptive DBS systems are currently used in children with dystonia, epilepsy, and Tourette Syndrome, and its use is expanding to other neuropsychiatric conditions. Yet, there is no empirical neuroethics research that focuses on pediatric DBS (pDBS) nor any decision support tools to guide families and clinicians through this difficult decision-making process.
Project Summary/Abstract Ethical concerns raised from both current and historically controversial psychosurgeries are driving disparities in accessibility to emerging BRAIN Initiative technology for those with severe, disabling, chronic mental illness like individuals with treatment-refractory schizophre
ABSTRACT A fundamental ethical tenet in medicine is bodily sovereignty, inherent in which is the concept of control. Over the past 10 years, there has been considerable discussion in the neuroethics literature concerning the loss of control attributed to neuromodulation devices, specifically deep brain stimulation (DBS), with a focus on reduced control related to undesired personality changes. Many of these concerns either explicitly or implicitly focus on the invasiveness of the DBS device.
Project Summary / Abstract This 4-year Neuroethics R01 based at the University of Minnesota (UMN) will convene a national Working Group of top neuroethics, neurolaw, and neuroscience experts to conduct empirical research and generate evidence-based consensus recommendations for the ethical conduct of population research using highly portable, cloud-enabled MRI in new and diverse populations in field settings.
