September 21, 2016
LSI Faculty Fellow Andrew Maynard discusses the need for ethical discourse about brain enhancement technologies as they move from mere concepts to reality. Animal studies using neural dust sensors to monitor neural activity are the precursors to human studies involving similar gadgetry. Brain enhancement technologies to treat disease symptoms and modify other brain functions are being closely monitored and their potential effects scrutinized by governments around the world. Responsible innovation in brain science was the topic of choice at a cohosted NAS workshop on September 15 through 16, 2016. Neuroethics, the ethical impact of brain enhancements, also plays an important role in the U.S. BRAIN Initiative, launched in 2013. See also http://blogs.asucollegeoflaw.com/lsi/2016/09/15/3887/