Neuroenhancement Bubble?—Neuroenhancement Wave!

Muster des Missbrauchs von (Psycho-) Stimulanzien zum pharmakologischen Neuroenhancement bei Studierenden

Auch in Deutschland werden verschreibungspflichtige und illegale (Psycho-) Stimulanzien wie Methylphenidat und Amphetamine von Studierenden ohne medizinische Indikation zur geistigen Leistungssteigerung missbraucht. Uber die Charakteristika dieses sog. pharmakologischen Neuroenhancements (PN) ist bislang nur wenig bekannt. Semistrukturierte Interviews mit 20 Studierenden, die Stimulanzien zum PN eingenommen haben, uber Aspekte des PN (Motive, Einstellungen usw.). Es lassen sich 2 Muster des Substanzmissbrauchs zum PN unterscheiden, die zum Teil fliesend ineinander ubergehen und die exemplarisch anhand zweier Fallbeispiele dargestellt werden: Ein Muster ist charakterisiert durch transienten …

On Human–Computer Interaction in Brain–Computer Interfaces

In this chapter, theoretical reflections on human–computer interaction in brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are combined with the results of an empirical investigation concerning non-invasive EEG-based BCI users’ experiences with this technology. After a short overview of transhumanist visions in the field of neurotechnology this text discusses some anthropological positions concerning interaction between man and technical devices. The focus will be on the concept of “transparency”. Then some empirical results of a pilot study which investigated BCI users’ experiences concerning human–computer interaction in BCI use are presented and discussed against the anthropological background.

Charakteristika von Studierenden, die pharmakologisches Neuroenhancement mit Stimulanzien betreiben: Eine Pilotstudie

Anliegen: Charakterisierung deutscher Studenten, die Methylphenidat (MPH) und/oder Amphetamine (AMPH) zum pharmakologischen Neuroenhancement (PN) konsumieren. Methode: Semistrukturierte Interviews mit 20 Konsumenten und 20 Kontrollprobanden. Ergebnisse: Die Konsumenten waren besser uber die Moglichkeit der Einnahme illegaler Substanzen zum PN informiert als die Kontrollgruppe. AMPH-Konsumenten nahmen haufiger weitere illegale Substanzen zum PN ein als MPH-Konsumenten, wahrend hinsichtlich legaler Substanzen zum PN kein Unterschied zwischen den beiden Konsumentengruppen bestand. AMPH-Konsumenten hatten AMPH vornehmlich nasal eingenommen. Insgesamt wiesen die Stimulanzienkonsumenten haufiger …

Life context of pharmacological academic performance enhancement among university students – a qualitative approach

Background Academic performance enhancement or cognitive enhancement (CE) via stimulant drug use has received increasing attention. The question remains, however, whether CE solely represents the use of drugs for achieving better academic or workplace results or whether CE also serves various other purposes. The aim of this study was to put the phenomenon of pharmacological academic performance enhancement via prescription and illicit (psycho-) stimulant use (Amphetamines, Methylphenidate) among university students into a broader context. Specifically, we wanted to further understand students’ experiences, the effects of use on students and other factors, such as pressure to perform in thei…

Moral Attitudes Toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE): Differences and Similarities Among Germans With and Without PCE Experience

Pharmacological cognitive enhancement (PCE), the use of illicit and/or prescription drugs to increase cognitive performance, has spurred controversial discussion in bioethics. In a semi-structured interview study with 60 German university students and employees, differences and similarities in moral attitudes toward PCE among 30 experienced participants (EPs) vs. 30 inexperienced participants (IPs) were investigated. Substances EPs used most often are methylphenidate, amphetamines, tetrahydrocannabinol and modafinil. Both EPs and IPs addressed topics such as autonomous decision making or issues related to fairness such as equality in test evaluation and distortion of competition. While most…

Zur Rolle von Risiko, Ungewissheit und Nichtwissen in der Bioethik

Dieser Beitrag beschaftigt sich mit der Bedeutung von Unsicherheit und Nichtwissen in verschiedenen bioethischen Kontexten. Hierzu wird zunachst nach einleitenden Begriffsklarungen die Rolle von Unsicherheit auf der Theorieebene thematisiert: So besitzen empirische Unsicherheiten fur unterschiedliche Ethiktheorien durchaus unterschiedlich grose Relevanz. Zudem spielt der Kontext fur die Bewertung von und den Umgang mit Unsicherheiten eine betrachtliche Rolle: Daher wird anhand des Vorsorgeprinzips auf Moglichkeiten des Umgangs mit Unsicherheit in umweltpolitischen Zusammenhangen eingegangen sowie eine Kontrastierung mit auf individueller Ebene erfolgenden Handlungsentscheidungen vorgenommen…

The Users’ Perspective

In this chapter 20 former research subjects in brain–computer interface (BCI) studies answer questions concerning their experiences with this novel technology. They talk about their state of information, their expectations, their achievements, and also their disappointments. The answers display a wide spectrum of attitudes and personal assessments ranging from enthusiastic appreciation to skeptical reservation. Many users mention the current shortcomings but also stress the potential of the tested technology.

On the current neuroenhancement use of transcranial direct current stimulation by healthy individuals—A non-fictional snap-shot: Commentary on Lapenta et al. 2014.

This commentary examines the pros and cons of the fictitious enhancement scenarios used in Lapenta et al. 2014. Then it gives a non-fictional impression of the current self-enhancement use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) by healthy individuals and discusses the ethical issues involved.

Ethical challenges in cell-based interventions for neurological conditions: some lessons to be learnt from clinical transplantation trials in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Neuroethics 1995-2012. A bibliometric analysis of the guiding themes of an emerging research field

International audience; In bioethics, the first decade of the twenty-first century was characterized by the emergence of interest in the ethical, legal and social aspects of neuroscience research. At the same time an ongoing extension of the topics and phenomena addressed by neuroscientists was observed alongside its rise as one of the leading disciplines in the biomedical science. One of these phenomena addressed by neuroscientists and moral psychologists was the neural processes involved in moral decision-making. Today both strands of research are often addressed under the label of neuroethics. To understand this development we recalled literature from 1995 to 2012 stored in the Mainz Neu…

What users think about the differences between caffeine and illicit/prescription stimulants for cognitive enhancement

Pharmacological cognitive enhancement (CE) is a topic of increasing public awareness. In the scientific literature on student use of CE as a study aid for academic performance enhancement, there are high prevalence rates regarding the use of caffeinated substances (coffee, caffeinated drinks, caffeine tablets) but remarkably lower prevalence rates regarding the use of illicit/prescription stimulants such as amphetamines or methylphenidate. While the literature considers the reasons and mechanisms for these different prevalence rates from a theoretical standpoint, it lacks empirical data to account for healthy students who use both, caffeine and illicit/prescription stimulants, exclusively f…

Cognitive Enhancement – A Critical Look at the Recent Debate

Cognitive enhancement, which can be characterized as the attempt to increase cognitive functions such as attention or memory in healthy individuals, has received considerable attention during the last decade, both in the general public and in academic discourse. In spite of a very active interdisciplinary debate which has provided helpful reflections, categorizations and clarifications, the numerous questions and problems related to cognitive enhancement are far from having been exhaustively discussed or even solved. Without any doubt, there are several aspects within this field that require more reflection and further clarifications. In this chapter, which serves as an introduction to the …

Prenatal Testing: Women’s Experiences in Case of a Conspicuous Test Result

This chapter will focus on ethical aspects and decision-making conflicts in prenatal testing that arise in the case of conspicuous test results. In order to gain some insight into the women’s experiences when confronted with a conspicuous test result, we studied their answers to the open questions in the questionnaires of EDIG substudy A. After giving a short introduction to the open questions some of the responses will be presented. The focus will be on an aspect which plays a crucial role in the overall experience: the women’s attitude towards the fetus – and the way women talk about the fetus. The results of the EDIG study will then be discussed against the background of Barbara Katz Rot…

State Neutrality and Psychopharmacological Enhancement