Neuro Article Summary

Neuroscience Study

Article: Contemporary Neuroscience in the Media

Written By: Eric Racine, Sarah Waldman, Jarett Rosenberg, Judy Illes

Summary: Intrigued by the sudden innovations in technology allowing more in-depth analysis of the brain and the general public’s interest in neuroscience on the rise, several scientists began looking through popular revenues to examine how exactly the science was being depicted. Using special functions available on LexisNexis Academic database, they scanned “headlines, lead paragraphs, and body terms” to better understand what the populace was reading about in neuroscience. They then broke down the articles retrieved to find the different fields in neuroscience, and found technological based neuro-studies seemed the most optimistic. However, most articles did not fully explain their research methods or specific details on their work. They then go on to describe the affect this type of reporting is having on the neuroscience fields.

In-Depth: Advancements in technology, such as the functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or deep brain stimulation, have created a renewed interest in the public in neuroscience. Mental and behavioral health is being renovated every day, and through national awareness movements, people are becoming more and more hopeful that neuroscience will cure brain-related diseases and other problems, such as drug addiction. The fear, however, is the new view of man this deep understanding of the brain will bring. Ethics, culture, and society in general are at risk for a large overall. Psychiatry has already changed its approach based on advancements in neuroscience. But the enthusiasm for neuroscience remains unbridled, but the accuracy of articles going out to the public need to be more closely reviewed. But the drive behind public opinion on neurotechnology is generally positive and helps shape how enthusiastically we evolve the future of neurosciences’ respective fields. However, the sciences need to heed the media, for incorrect data or assumptions made by the public can hinder any progress.