NCJ Number
57467
Editor(s)
W L SMITH,
A KLING
Date Published
1976
Length
157 pages
Annotation
INTENDED FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS, NEUROLOGISTS, LAWYERS AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN BRAIN/BEHAVIOR RELATIONSHIPS, THIS BOOK DISCUSSES SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN CONTROLLING BEHAVIOR THROUGH THE BRAIN.
Abstract
THE PAPERS INCLUDED IN THE ANTHOLOGY FOCUS ON BASIC SYSTEMS IN THE BRAIN WHICH ARE RELATED TO AGGRESSION IN ANIMALS AND MAN AND THE USE OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION IN BRAIN CONTROL, RESEARCH STRATEGY TO FURTHER DELINEATE ORGANICALLY INDUCED PATIENTS WITH EPISODIC DYSCONTROL, CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIES AND AGGRESSION, AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOSURGERY AND BRAIN CONTROL IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE INTRODUCTORY PAPER RAISES A NUMBER OF ISSUES REGARDING DEFINITIONS OF OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR TREATMENT AS WELL AS QUALITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM BEHAVIOR DISORDERS WITH VARYING ETIOLOGIES, AND THE NEXT ARTICLE FOCUSES ON THE AMYGDALOTOMY PROCEDURES USED TO INVESTIGATE 13 CASES OF TEMPORAL LOBECTOMY. PROBLEMS INHERENT IN USING ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO STUDY BRAIN MECHANISMS AND BEHAVIOR ARE EXAMINED AND A SUBPOPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REPEATEDLY INVOLVED IN ACTS OF PERSONAL VIOLENCE AND HAVE SYMPTOMS SUGGESTIVE OF AN EPILEPTIC DISORDER ARE DESCRIBED. THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY OF STUDIES WHICH TEND TO SUPPORT THE CONTENTION THAT PEOPLE WITH FOCAL EPILEPSY SUFFER FROM THE DYSCONTROL SYSTEM (BUT DO NOT INDICATE A CORRELATION BETWEEN DYSCONTROL AND VIOLENCE) IS PRESENTED. ONE PAPER DISCUSSES RAGE AS BEING LARGELY INDEPENDENT OF THE TEMPORAL LOBE OR LIMBIC SYSTEM PAROXYSMAL DISORDERS, WHILE STILL ANOTHER REVIEWS AVAILABLE EVIDENCE SUGGESTING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE 47,XYY CHROMOSOME AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AND CONCLUDES THAT AN ASSOCIATION HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN. FINALLY, LEGAL QUESTIONS REGARDING PSYCHOSURGERY AND BRAIN CONTROL ARE EXAMINED IN TWO ARTICLES WHICH CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH AND TREATMENT OF CRIMINALS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL CONTROL ISSUES. REFERENCES AND AN AUTHOR AND SUBJECT INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)