An ethical analysis of deep brain stimulation
DU Lan
CHEN Mingyi
Abstract：Deep brain stimulation(DBS),as a neuromodulation technique,significantly alleviates physiological symptoms of neurological disorders such as Parkinson disease.However,its impact on brain function raises profound ethical concerns.Through the case of patient John,this study explores ethical challenges in the clinical application of DBS,including changes to personal identity and issues of autonomy and responsibility.To address these,three strategies are proposed,firstly,optimizing treatment through dynamic autonomy assessments and personalized diagnostics;second,establishing a responsibility-sharing and ethical oversight framework to regulate its applications;and third,promoting technological equity and public engagement to address individual and societal needs.These approaches aim to balance scientific rigor with ethical principles,ensuring the integrity of DBS while protecting patient safety and rights.
Keywords：deep brain stimulationpersonal identityautonomyethical responsibility
Publication Date：2025-11-15
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-12(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 42-48 )