Psychiatric Neuroethics: Studies in Research and Practice

by Walter Glannon

Overview

Advances in psychiatric research and clinical psychiatry in the last 30 years have given rise to a host of new questions that lie at the intersection of psychiatry, neuroscience, philosophy and law. Such questions include:

-Are psychiatric disorders diseases of the brain, caused by dysfunctional neural circuits and neurotransmitters?
-What role do genes, neuro-endocrine, neuro-immune interactions and the environment play in the development of these disorders?
-How do different explanations of the etiology and pathophysiology of mental illness influence diagnosis, prognosis and decisions about treatment?
-Would it be rational for a person with a chronic treatment-resistant disorder to request euthanasia or assisted suicide to end their suffering?
-Could psychiatric disorders be predicted and prevented?

Psychiatric Neuroethics explores these questions in a comprehensive and systematic way, discussing the medical and philosophical implications of neuroscience and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc) in the fields of psychiatry and mental health. It examines the extent to which circuit-based criteria can offer a satisfactory explanation of psychiatric disorders and how they compare with the symptom-based criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV).

This book will be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience, including psychiatrists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, philosophers, psychologists and legal theorists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198758853
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/20/2019
Series:	International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Walter Glannon, Professor of Philosophy, University of Calgary

Walter Glannon is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary. He received his PhD in Philosophy from Yale University. His research interests lie primarily in the areas of free will, moral and legal responsibility, transplantation ethics and neuroethics.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. A Paradigm for Psychiatry2. Disorders of Consciousness, Memory and Will3. Treating Psychiatric Disorders: Less Invasive and Non-Invasive Interventions4. Psychiatric Neurosurgery5. Neuromodulation: Control, Identity and Justice6. Intervening in the Psychopath's Brain7. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide for Psychiatric Disorders8. Prediction and PreventionEpilogue: Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Philosophy

Editorial Reviews

"... a rigorous and well-written scientific exploration of the philosophical challenges accompanying our increasing knowledge of the brain." — Mirko Daniel Garasic, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics

"Psychiatric Neuroethics provides a comprehensive survey of the major neuropsychiatric ethical dilemmas currently faced by patients, clinicians and policy-makers. ... the seriousness and attention to detail that Glannon devotes to these individually complex topics ... are modern, engaging and clinically relevant." — Daniel J. Daunis Jr., Psychosomatics

"Walter Glannon's Psychiatric Neuroethics is a treasure trove for any scholar of neuroethics and neurophilosophy. Whether a newcomer to the field or a seasoned researcher, the reader will find an erudite and well-argued source of state-of-the-art science and theory on a range of issues at the intersection between philosophy, psychiatry and neuroscience. The underlying theme of non reductionist assumptions is what makes this book essential reading for scholars in neuropsychiatry, neuroethics and neurophilosophy." — Veljko Dubljevic, Bioethics

"This book is extraordinary as it addresses long-overdue ethical issues that are specific to psychiatry, including its model of the mind-brain relation and ethical issues such as euthanasia. Walter Glannon, one of the leading experts in the philosophy of psychiatry, delivers an outstanding book which will, I am sure, become standard reading in the field and beyond." — Georg Northoff, Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Canada

"As the big pharma have withdrawn from investing in the development of psychopharmaceuticals, the therapeutic void needs to be filled, and one of the ways to do so is by non-invasive and invasive neuromodulation. Walter Glannon bravely takes the lead in addressing and providing ethical guidance in how to embrace the new technology in real world settings. A must read and highly needed work for everybody who is interested or involved in the treatment of psychiatric brain disorders." — Dirk De Ridder, Neurological Foundation Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Otago, New Zealand

"Walter Glannon combines a philosophical sensibility with an appreciation of psychiatry as a psycho-biological science of the brain as well as the mind. With precision Glannon adroitly teases out ethical conflicts, treating a range of psychiatric interventions such as psychosurgery, neuro-modulation, control of psychopathic behavior and rationales for assisted suicide for psychiatric and neuro-degenerative conditions. His critical analysis is an original contribution to psychiatry and neuroethics." — Laurence R. Tancredi, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, USA

"Walter Glannon's Psychiatric Neuroethics provides keen insights into the intersecting domains of brain science, mental health practice, philosophy, ethics, and law. In addressing longstanding philosophical questions about the nature of the mind, self, and psychiatry as a discipline, Glannon presents a detailed examination of the ways in which ongoing neuroscientific research has been used, or in some cases misused, in the understanding, classification, diagnosis, and care of mental illness. This book affords a prudent perspective on neuroethical issues, questions, and possible solutions that are important in guiding applications of brain science in the clinical practices of the field-in- evolution that is psychiatry." — James Giordano, Professor, Departments of Neurology and Biochemistry Chief, Neuroethics Studies Program Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics Georgetown University Medical Center

From the Publisher