NeuroLaw: Brain Interventions

The Brain Interventions microcredential course will be offered by the Michigan State University Neuroscience and Law program for students and working professionals with an interest in learning how neuroscience can be applied to their role in the crimimal justice system, whether it be law enforcement, criminal investigation, forensics, social work, or in the courtroom.

Course Topics:

• Shock Therapy
• Brain Stimulation
• Brain Injury
• Cognitive Enhancement
• Neuroethics
• Deep Brain Stimulation
• Psychostimulation

Course Description:

Brain interventions are used by clinicians to provide treatment for patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, and by neuroscientists to study functioning of the healthy brain. They can also be self-administered with the purpose of achieving cognitive enhancement. Types of brain interventions include electrical (electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation), magnetic (transcranial magnetic stimulation), and pharmacological (psychostimulants). Brain intervention can also be thought of in terms of brain injury and painkiller use: like clinical treatments they have an effect on the brain, albeit with negative rather than positive outcomes. In this course students will learn the science behind brain interventions, in addition to their ethical, legal, and social implications.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the Brain Interventions microcredential course, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between the types of symptoms that result from damage to different brain areas
• Differentiate between transcranial magnetic, transcranial electric, and subcortical stimulation
• Recount the history of electroconvulsive therapy and the convulsive therapies that preceded it
• Describe the issues concerning patient rights, brain damage and cognitive side effects
• Assess the risks and benefits of transcranial magnetic and electrical stimulation procedures
• Describe the causes of traumatic brain injury and how it is diagnosed
• Describe the physiology and corresponding symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalography
• Describe the consequences of concussions including examples from professional sports
• Compare and contrast the NFL and NHL concussion settlements
• Explain the importance of informed consent in the context of painkiller use by athletes
• Describe how memory dampening could be used for purposes of alleviating emotional distress
• Describe the range of conventional and unconventional methods of cognitive enhancement
• Describe legal, moral and ethical concerns associated with the use of cognitive enhancement
• Explain the differences between ethical concerns for treatments as compared to enhancements
• Perform an ethical assessment of modafinil and other pharmaceutical cognitive enhancements