Fins Joseph J, Illes Judy, Bernat James L, Hirsch Joy, Laureys Steven, Murphy Emily
Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Am J Bioeth. 2008 Sep;8(9):3-12. doi: 10.1080/15265160802318113.
The application of neuroimaging technology to the study of the injured brain has transformed how neuroscientists understand disorders of consciousness, such as the vegetative and minimally conscious states, and deepened our understanding of mechanisms of recovery. This scientific progress, and its potential clinical translation, provides an opportunity for ethical reflection. It was against this scientific backdrop that we convened a conference of leading investigators in neuroimaging, disorders of consciousness and neuroethics. Our goal was to develop an ethical frame to move these investigative techniques into mature clinical tools. This paper presents the recommendations and analysis of a Working Meeting on Ethics, Neuroimaging and Limited States of Consciousness held at Stanford University during June 2007. It represents an interdisciplinary approach to the challenges posed by the emerging use of neuroimaging technologies to describe and characterize disorders of consciousness.
神经成像技术在脑损伤研究中的应用改变了神经科学家对意识障碍（如植物状态和微意识状态）的理解方式，并加深了我们对恢复机制的认识。这一科学进展及其潜在的临床转化为伦理反思提供了契机。正是在这一科学背景下，我们召集了神经成像、意识障碍和神经伦理学领域的顶尖研究人员召开了一次会议。我们的目标是制定一个伦理框架，将这些研究技术转化为成熟的临床工具。本文介绍了2007年6月在斯坦福大学举行的关于伦理、神经成像和有限意识状态工作会议的建议和分析。它代表了一种跨学科方法，以应对神经成像技术在描述和表征意识障碍方面新出现的应用所带来的挑战。
