The Use of Pre-Clinical Biomarkers for Brain Diseases: A Neuroethical Dilemma

The theme of the symposium is the neuroethics of preclinical detection, which will entail discussions of the basic and clinical research being performed and the neurotechnologies being developed for the early detection of autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Through these discussions, we hope to highlight the challenges that a patient can face after a being given a preclinical diagnosis for a mental disorder, and to underscore the ethical challenges that arise when the ability to detect a future disease outreaches our ability to care for the patient.

The symposium will include from prominent scientists and ethicists on preclinical research, preclinical diagnosis, and early interventions and treatments. Patients and families of patients who have been challenged by these issues will also be presenting their stories.