Seminar: Dr Martin Dresler, "Behavioural neuroenhancement: Brain training and mnemonics"

Past Event

Date
 15 November 2011, 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Location
 Lecture Theatre, Oxford Martin School
34 Broad Street (corner of Holywell and Catte Streets), Oxford, OX1 3BD

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SEMINAR IS NOW STARTING AT 3pm

This event is hosted by the Future of Humanity Institute and the Institute for Science and Ethics

Speaker: Dr Martin Dresler, Scientist, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich

Abstract: The ethical debate on neuroenhancement mainly concentrates on pharmaceuticals so far. However, if neuroenhancement is seen as an intervention aiming to improve mental functioning beyond what is necessary to sustain or restore good health, also behavioural means of enhancement like 'brain training', mnemonic techniques and even sports or sleep have to be seen as neuroenhancement proper. While recent meta-analyses have revealed rather unimpressive effects of the currently available drugs used for enhancement purposes, in particular mnemonic techniques have proven highly effective in enhancing cognitive capabilities. The seminar will give an overview of current research on several behavioural means of neuroenhancement, with an emphasis on memory enhancement and mnemonics.

Biography: Dr Martin Dresler is a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, with a background in Psychology, Philosophy and Mathematics. Besides the neuroscience of sleep and dreaming, his current research concentrates on ways of improving cognitive capabilities, in particular memory capacity.