Overview

• What’s new here?– Comparison with genetics

• Triage concerns about neuroimaging• Two examples of problematic

applications– fMRI lie detection– SPECT imaging for psychiatric diagnosis

• Concluding thoughts

What’s new?

What’s new?

Experience

Behavior

Distinctive characteristics of neuroimaging

(Distinctive in their societal implications)

Distinctive characteristics of neuroimaging

Relative to genetic testing and research• More sensitive measure of causes of

behavior• Reflects environmental determinants of

behavior• Captures learned psychological traits• Captures psychological states as well as

traits• Suggests targets for more feasible

interventionRelative to psychological testing and

research• Often more sensitive• Information sought may be not evident to

subject

Problematic characteristics of neuroimaging

(Problematic in their societal implications)

Problematic characteristics of neuroimaging

Familiar concerns• Validity across ages, levels of SES, cultures

etc.• Incidental findings• Privacy of recordsOverdrawn concerns• Mind reading• Blood not brain• Statistical voodoo• Inordinately persuasive

Problematic characteristics of neuroimaging

More new challenges• Public (and policymaker) understanding– Inferential not photographic– Brain -/-> Innate, immutable– No more or less “real” than behavioral evidence

• Reverse inference• Balance of public-private ownership and

transparency

fMRI lie detection

• Basic science makes leap to commercial product

fMRI lie detection

• Basic science makes leap to commercial product

fMRI lie detection

• Basic science makes leap to commercial product

• Potential uses: relationship issues, personnel screening, legal testimony, national security

• 2 attempts to use in court in 2010

Diagnostic neuroimaging in psychiatry

• Neuroimaging plays a vital role in psychiatry research, but…

• Broad consensus against any current role in diagnosis

• Yet…

Diagnostic neuroimaging in psychiatry

Diagnostic neuroimaging in psychiatry

Diagnostic neuroimaging in psychiatry

In these and other applications of neuroimaging

Wishful thinking,Allure of Science,Profit motive,

Undetermined validity, accuracy

Potential for harm to individuals and society

Concluding thoughts• Part of something broader– full flowering of neuroscience, interventions, ourselves as

brains

• Promising new technology for addressing societal problems involving human thought, emotion and behavior.

• Only premature uses: Bogus and potentially harmful

• Policy: Sparing use of regulation; encourage research– There is little here that could not be corrected by

fuller knowledge– This would also accelerate the development of

socially beneficial applications of neuroimaging– For our nation as well as others

Thank you