Seminar on Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Genetics

Center for Research on Ethical/Legal/Social Implications of Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics

Department of Psychiatry

Columbia University Medical Center

 

Monday, December 19, 2016 12:00-1:00pm

Room PH19-201

Sergievsky Center
630 West 168 St., New York, NY 10032

 

The Implications of Frontotemporal Degeneration for the Social Brain, Sociopathy, Morality and Semantics 

 

Mario F. Mendez, MD, PhD

Director of Behavioral Neurology

Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

 

The frontotemporal degenerations, especially behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), are disorders that target the “Social Brain” and often have a genetic basis. Humans evolved frontal and related brain mechanisms aimed at supporting social groups, and this Social Brain is the focus of FTD. The consequences of disease in these areas range from violations of social norms to sociopathic acts. This presentation discusses these consequences, as well potential contributions from alterations in morality and in semantics.
 

Upcoming Presentations

January 9th – Rayna Rapp, PhD, Dept. of Anthropology, NYU

February 6th – Consuelo Wilkins, MD, Dept. of Medicine, Vanderbilt Univ. & Meharry Medical

College

March 13th –Susan Wolf, JD, University of Minnesota Law School

April 24th – Julia Wynn, MS, Dept. of Pediatrics, Columbia University

May 15th – Catherine Bliss, PhD, Dept. of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing,

UCSF

June 12th – R. Alta Charo, JD, Law School & Dept. of Medical History & Bioethics, Univ. of

Wisconsin
For further information or to convey suggestions about future speakers, contact Paul S. Appelbaum, MD, Director, Center for Research on Ethical/Legal/Social Implications of Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, at 646-774-8630 or psa21@columbia.edu.