Archive for the 'neuroscience' Category

Scientific uncertainty and the quest for explanations

Published on 2011-01-11 in neuroscience and Philanthropy. 0 Comments

Recently there has been a spate of editorials discussing the incontrovertible eveidence that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism. An example can be found in today’s Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576073744290909186.html

In this blog and in other places I have written in one way or another about the negative resuts of public discussion and policy making running ahead of the science the discussions and policy making are supposedly based on. Cognitively, we do not deal with uncertainty very well – the anecdotes about our perceptions of risk and on human decision-making are legion. The most familiar example is the number of people who will not risk flying but drive thousands of miles on the highway.
So even thought the science supporting the link behind MMR vaccine and autism was weak right from the beginning – the findings preyed on the fears and the uncertainties of parents who had to make a decision. And it offered an fairly easy to understand explanation to parents suffering with trying to understand how a terrible disease could be afflicting a child. The MMR provided an external, readily identified enemy to blame. Perhaps the worst aspect of all of this is that good data AFTER THE FACT can rarely dislodge doubt. Energy, resources, and skill have been deflected from the real problem to a fake one. There is lots of balme to share. As private funders, and disease advocates – it is time for us to take a long look in the mirror and ask ourselves what we could do differently next time.

Not at Neuroscience

Published on 2009-10-19 in neuroscience and Society for Neuroscience. 1 Comment

This week, the Society for Neuroscience is holding its annual meeting in Chicago.   Everyone who is anyone in the field neuroscience, along with 30,000 of their friends, postdocs, and students will converge to hear hundreds of presentations, view thousands of scientific posters, and race importantly from committee business meeting to committee business meeting squeezing in some hits at social event to social event.   So why am I, a neuroscientist working for a private funder of neuroscience research and living 250 miles from Chicago not at Neuroscience?  Why, if given the choice between going to Neuroscience and having root canal without anesthesia would I choose the dentist office?

In part, my answer says a lot what I think is problematic in the current climate of academic research.

1)     Most attendees are charging every expense against research grants while bemoaning the lack of research funding.  (Note: even gobs of stimulus funding has not diminished the academic indoor sport of whining for dollars – the behavior is so ingrained in academic scientists that nothing shuts it off.)

2)     The atmosphere tends towards self-conscious self importance.   The important and powerful neuroscientists are readily distinguished by their plumage of colored ribbons hanging from their meeting badge.    A lack of ribbons marks one’s relative anonymity (and lack of clout) in the Society.

3)     A depressingly large number of presentations – both platform and poster – will after the first few hours, sound and look alike.

4)     The highlighted big name talks are primarily geared to attract press coverage – with little concern about the accuracy of the results.   The primary goal being to engender public enthusiasm (and ideally funding) for neuroscience – and not necessarily understanding.

To be fair, Neuroscience does serve some positive purposes.   Old friends catch up.   Graduate students rub shoulders with some of their heroes.  Jobs are offered and accepted.   Business is accomplished. The local economy gets a little bump.  One friend, defending why he was going – told me he found it “humbling” to see the size and breadth of the field.   I guess.   I just find it crowded and boring.   And if anything really exciting gets presented – I’ll read it in the paper with my morning joe in the comfort of my own home.