Future Challenges to the BTWC: Neuroscience

Future Challenges to the Future Challenges to the BTWC: NeuroscienceBTWC: Neuroscience

SIPRI workshop 5/6.03.11Steven Rose

s.p.r.rose@open.ac.uk

ThemesThemes

1. Current developments in neuroscience 2. Likely relevant neurotech developments 3. Five dichotomies 4. Emerging issues relevant to BTWC

Genetic ManipulationGenetic Manipulation

Knock out, knock in mouse models

Human genome, Epigenomics,

proteomics etc

Windows into the brainWindows into the brain

fMRI MEG ERP PET

Smart pharmacologySmart pharmacology

Smart pharmacology and single photon confocal microscopy

The coming decadesThe coming decades

Four technoscientific developments of potential significance to conflict and control

1. Human-machine 1. Human-machine interfacesinterfaces

Visual and other prostheses

Implanted chips Transcranial magnetic

stimulation

2. Psychopathic Brains?2. Psychopathic Brains?

3. Brain imaging for 3. Brain imaging for surveillancesurveillance

“How do we determine if a person is a terrorist or spy? There is a new technology, that ..allows us to measure scientifically if specific information is stored in a person’s brain. Brain Fingerprinting technology can determine the presence or absence of specific information, such as terrorist training and associations. This exciting new technology can help….

discover if a person: Has committed terrorist acts Has been trained as a terrorist Is a terrorist leader…. (from the company website)

4. New psychochemicals4. New psychochemicals

Greater behavioural insights leading to new control technologies

Rational drug design to interact with neurotransmitters, receptors, affecting central and peripheral nervous system

New methods of delivery for peptides etc

Five Conflict/Control Five Conflict/Control DichotomiesDichotomies

Lethal/ ‘Non-lethal’ Military/ Civilian Enhancing/ Degrading Physical/(Bio)Chemical CNS/PNS

Lethal/ ‘Non-Lethal’Lethal/ ‘Non-Lethal’

Lethal – nerve gases, toxins etc. Already covered by conventions – no new issues

from neuroscience although new genetic technologies make possible wider range of specific toxins? Targeted ‘ethnic weapons’?

‘Non-Lethal’ aka ‘Riot Control’ Agents that incapacitate, disorientate, induce

pain or loss of consciousness Many new issues

Military/CivilianMilitary/Civilian

Present conventions deal with military uses – do not cover uses in civil conflict, by police etc.

Thus a grey area – witness past and current events in Russia, Israel/Palestine, Libya …..

In general such civil conflict uses employ ‘non-lethal’ agents though often in contexts in which they are far from non-lethal

Many nations have active ‘non-lethal’ research programmes – ambiguous civil/military intentions

Enhancement /DegradationEnhancement /Degradation

Neuroscience advances offer military technologies of enhancement to one’s own side – eg brain/computer interfaces, cognitive and attention enhancers (eg ritalin, modafanil)

as well as technologies of degradation to opponents – again only degradation considered here

Potential Physical (non CB) Potential Physical (non CB) Weaponry aimed at neural Weaponry aimed at neural

systemssystems Trans-cranial magnetic stimulation Directed energy (microwaves, lasers etc) Acoustic energy (sound blasters) ‘Active denial’ etc (see Davison: ‘Non-lethal’ weapons, 2009; RS report

2011)

Some in current production and use (eg IDF) Some under US, Czech, German contracts

(Davison 2009, BMA 2007)

Much snake-oil

Active Denial TechnologyActive Denial Technology

‘a breakthrough non-lethal technology that uses millimetre-wave electromagnetic energy to stop, deter and turn back an advancing adversary from relatively long range… ADT exploits intolerance of thermally induced pain..maximised at a temperature of 550C’ but ‘does not burn’..

developed by Communications and Power Industries, Palo Alto

2004 - system delivered by Raytheon to US military Press release states device meets approved human

and animal research protocols (!)

(Girard, 2005)

The Scream WeaponThe Scream Weapon

Bil’in, near Ramallah, June 6 2005“new weapon knocks crowds off

feet”“the knees buckle high technology

toolkit”, the brain aches, the stomach turns..the latest weapon

in the Israeli army’s toolkit”(Press reports)

(Bio)Chemical agents aimed at (Bio)Chemical agents aimed at PNSPNS

Tear gasses etc in this category: Enhanced CS Pepper ball (PAVA; capsaicin) Agents causing temporary blindness or

neuromuscular relaxation/paralysis

Nb all can be lethal

The Pepperball The Pepperball

IDF attack on peaceful Israeli and Palestinian protest against the Wall, 28 April 05

“a small transparent red plastic ball …containing a creamy white powder.. when it hits the skin and explodes produces an extreme burning sensation”

(Giacaman, 2005)

Definitions for CNS non-lethalsDefinitions for CNS non-lethals

Highly potent Duration hours to days but effects

transient Reversible effects Low ED50, High LD50 (but impossible in practice) Logistically feasible - i.e skin or breath

absorbable, cross BBB, weaponisable

‘‘Non-Lethal’ agents aimed at Non-Lethal’ agents aimed at CNSCNS

‘off the rocker’ or ‘on the floor’ (Davison)

Incapacitating/calmative (thiopental, diazepam)

Sedative –hypnotic (barbiturates)

anxiolytic Convulsant Disorienting (BZ – muscarinic antagonist, other

hallucinogens)

Paralysing/anaesthetic/analgesic (opioids, fentanyl)

Potential novel agentsPotential novel agents

Non-cholinergic or opioid agonists/antagonists Receptor/reuptake inhibitors

‘Memory erasers’ (anti-CREB etc) ‘Trust inducers’ (oxytocin etc) ‘Mood-modifiers’ Derived from non-traditional drugs –

peptides, proteins, ge toxins etc