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This podcast's purpose is to bring together the field of neuroprosthetics/brain machine interfaces/brain implants in an understandable conversation about the current topics and breakthroughs.

We hope to replace needing to read scientific papers on new research in an easy to digest way.

People can share thoughts or ideas to facilitate 'idea sex' to make the field of brain implants a smaller and more personal space.

Feb 4, 2019

Doctor Frederic Gilbert works at the University of Tasmania in Australia and studies neuroethics. A major theme is how Deep Brain Stimulation affects personality disorders. In a very limited amount of research, studies have indicated that some patients have experienced strong personality changes inclining them to depression, addiction and sometimes even suicide. Gilbert paints the importance of medical ethics when making medical innovations in order to protect patients. He argues that medical ethics must involve informing patients and their families of all risks associated with treatment.

Top Three Takeaways:

  1. Deep Brain Stimulation may cause personality disorders to occur in some patients.
  2. Medical Ethics is important to prevent any unnecessary harm to a patient.
  3. Though neuroethics may seem to threaten sciences, they actually aid the progression of helpful innovation.

Show Notes:

[0:00] Frederic Gilbert introduces himself and begins to discuss the effects of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).

[2:00] Gilbert ensures that DBS is safe and effective even though some patients experience personality side-effects.

[4:00] In respect to Parkinson’s Disease, DBS is better than nothing because the positive effects outway the risks.

[6:00] Gilbert explains how an exaggeration on ethics must take place to prevent patient harm.

[9:00] Gilbert points out how no studies studying how DBS affects personality disorders held a control group.

[11:30] It is described how 400,000 patients use DBS for a broad range of treatments.

[13:30] Neuroethics is described as the ethics of neuroscience that puts patient safety first.

[16:00] Neuroethics may be seen as a threat to science even though it actually helps ensure safe progression.

[19:30] Gilbert describes how he works with a group at the University of Tasmania that develops electromaterials; his group works at developing artificial intelligence that predicts epilepsy.

[22:00] Gilbert makes clear how the ethics of neurotechnology must involve informing patients and families of all effects and risks.