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Erschienen in: Neuroethics 1/2010

01.04.2010 | Brief Communication

Cognitive Enhancement, Lifestyle Choice or Misuse of Prescription Drugs?

Ethics Blind Spots in Current Debates

verfasst von: Eric Racine, Cynthia Forlini

Erschienen in: Neuroethics | Ausgabe 1/2010

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Abstract

The prospects of enhancing cognitive or motor functions using neuroscience in otherwise healthy individuals has attracted considerable attention and interest in neuroethics (Farah et al., Nature Reviews Neuroscience 5:421–425, 2004; Glannon Journal of Medical Ethics 32:74–78, 2006). The use of stimulants is one of the areas which has propelled the discussion on the potential for neuroscience to yield cognition-enhancing products. However, we have found in our review of the literature that the paradigms used to discuss the non-medical use of stimulant drugs prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) vary considerably. In this brief communication, we identify three common paradigms—prescription drug abuse, cognitive enhancement, and lifestyle use of pharmaceuticals—and briefly highlight how divergences between paradigms create important “ethics blind spots”.
Fußnoten
1
In this paper, we use the term “non-medical use” to: (1) reflect the fact that the uses we refer to are not medically approved and (2) take some distance from the prescription drug abuse and cognitive enhancement paradigms that we are discussing.
 
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Metadaten
Titel
Cognitive Enhancement, Lifestyle Choice or Misuse of Prescription Drugs?
Ethics Blind Spots in Current Debates
verfasst von
Eric Racine
Cynthia Forlini
Publikationsdatum
01.04.2010
Verlag
Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in
Neuroethics / Ausgabe 1/2010
Print ISSN: 1874-5490
Elektronische ISSN: 1874-5504
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12152-008-9023-7

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