Mind Wars: Brain Research and

National Defense

Mind Wars: Brain Research and

National Defense

Jonathan D. MorenoDavid and Lyn Silfen University Professor

Date

UNIVERSCITY OCF PENNSYLVANIACENTER FOR BIOETHICS

Recent Academies Projects Committee on Military and Intelligence Methodology for Committee on Military and Intelligence Methodology for

Emergent Physiological and Cognitive/Neural Science Emergent Physiological and Cognitive/Neural Science Research in the Next Two Decades, Research in the Next Two Decades, Emerging Cognitive Emerging Cognitive Neuroscience and Related TechnologiesNeuroscience and Related Technologies, August 2008, August 2008

Committee on Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Committee on Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications,Army Applications, Opportunities in Neuroscience for Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army ApplicationsFuture Army Applications, May 2009, May 2009

Committee on Field Evaluation of Behavioral and Committee on Field Evaluation of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences-Based Methods and Tools for Cognitive Sciences-Based Methods and Tools for Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence, Workshop Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence, Workshop September 2009September 2009

National Security, the Brain and Behavior: Post WW II-era

Hallucinogens

Neuropsychiatry of stress

Personality theory

Parapsychology

Allen DullesAllen Dulles

Legendary CIA directorLegendary CIA director Commissioned Wolf-Commissioned Wolf-

Hinkle report on “brain Hinkle report on “brain washing”, 1953washing”, 1953

Subsequently Subsequently supported various supported various hallucinogenic and hallucinogenic and innovative human innovative human experimentsexperiments

Sidney GottliebSidney Gottlieb

CIA spymasterCIA spymaster Developed toxic items Developed toxic items

for assassination for assassination (Castro, Patrice (Castro, Patrice Lumumba)Lumumba)

Funded hallucinogen Funded hallucinogen experimentsexperiments

Architect of MKUltra Architect of MKUltra programprogram

Henry BeecherHenry Beecher

Icon of human research Icon of human research ethicsethics

Harvard anesthesiology Harvard anesthesiology professorprofessor

Work on LSD supported Work on LSD supported by CIAby CIA

Reported foreign Reported foreign science contacts to CIA science contacts to CIA through the 1950sthrough the 1950s

Henry A. MurrayHenry A. Murray

Father of personality Father of personality theorytheory

Director of Harvard Director of Harvard Psychological ClinicPsychological Clinic

Explorations in Explorations in PersonalityPersonality, 1938, 1938

Developed Thematic Developed Thematic Apperception Test for Apperception Test for the US Army during the US Army during WWIIWWII

First chief psychologist First chief psychologist in the OSSin the OSS

Assessment of MenAssessment of Men, , 19481948

The Professor and the The Professor and the UnibomberUnibomber

Kurt LewinKurt Lewin

Founder of modern Founder of modern social psychologysocial psychology

Advised OSS on Advised OSS on psychological warfarepsychological warfare

Perhaps up to a third of Perhaps up to a third of major research major research university faculty were university faculty were supported by security supported by security agencies after WWIIagencies after WWII

J.B. RhineJ.B. Rhine

Distinguished Duke Distinguished Duke U. parapsychology U. parapsychology researcherresearcher

ESP studiesESP studies CIA supported CIA supported

starting in 1952starting in 1952 ““Psiops”Psiops”

The “Mind Race”The “Mind Race”

“The claimed phenomena and applications”…presented by several military officers, “range from the incredible to the outrageously incredible. The ‘anti-missile time warp,’ for example, is somehow supposed to deflect attack from nuclear warheads so that they will transcend time and explode among the ancient dinosaurs….One suggested application is a conception of the ‘First Earth Battalion,’ made up of ‘warrior monks’…including the use of ESP, leaving their bodies at will, levitating, psychic healing and walking through walls.”

“Enhancing Human Performance: Issues Theories, and Techniques,” Committee on Techniques for the Enhancement of Human Performance, The National Research Council,1988

U.S. Test of Simulated Non-U.S. Test of Simulated Non-Lethal Mortar Round, 2002Lethal Mortar Round, 2002

(Image from Project Sunshine)(Image from Project Sunshine)

The Moscow Theater Tragedy, The Moscow Theater Tragedy, October 2002October 2002

Chechen terrorists Chechen terrorists occupy Russian occupy Russian theater during playtheater during play

Fentanyl pumped into Fentanyl pumped into the heating ductsthe heating ducts

Emergency teams not Emergency teams not informed of the nature informed of the nature of the agentof the agent

128 die128 die

Kay, K. N., Naselaris, T., Prenger, R. J. & Gallant, J. L. Nature Kay, K. N., Naselaris, T., Prenger, R. J. & Gallant, J. L. Nature advanced online publication doi:10.1038/nature067,advanced online publication doi:10.1038/nature067,

15 March 2008).15 March 2008). ““In the experiment, the brain activityIn the experiment, the brain activityof two subjects was monitored whileof two subjects was monitored whilethey were shown 1,750 differentthey were shown 1,750 differentpictures. The team then selected 120pictures. The team then selected 120novel images that the subjects hadn’tnovel images that the subjects hadn’tseen before, and used the previousseen before, and used the previousresults to predict their brainresults to predict their brainresponses. When the test subjectsresponses. When the test subjectswere shown one of the images, thewere shown one of the images, theteam could match the actual brainteam could match the actual brainresponse to their predictions toresponse to their predictions toaccurately pick out which of theaccurately pick out which of thepictures they had been shown. Withpictures they had been shown. Withone of the participants they wereone of the participants they werecorrect 72% of the time, and with thecorrect 72% of the time, and with theother 92% of the time; on chanceother 92% of the time; on chancealone they would have been right onlyalone they would have been right only0.8% of the time.”0.8% of the time.”

Non-invasive Brain ImagingNon-invasive Brain Imaging

Uses fMRI (oxygenation) Uses fMRI (oxygenation) or PET scans (glucose)or PET scans (glucose)

Correlations of Correlations of neurochemistry with neurochemistry with behaviorbehavior

NIRS (Near Infrared NIRS (Near Infrared Spectroscopy) cheaper Spectroscopy) cheaper and portable, also and portable, also records oxygenation but records oxygenation but poor temporal resolutionpoor temporal resolution

Transcranial Magnetic Transcranial Magnetic StimulationStimulation

Induces changes in brain Induces changes in brain activationactivation

Could be used to alter a Could be used to alter a person’s social behavior person’s social behavior or attitudesor attitudes

Influence brain functions Influence brain functions including physical including physical movement, visual movement, visual perception, memory, perception, memory, reaction time, speech and reaction time, speech and moodmood

Neuroimaging and the Neuroimaging and the “Head Web” (DARPA)“Head Web” (DARPA)

Noninvasive brain Noninvasive brain monitoring devicesmonitoring devices

Contract: “Head Contract: “Head Access Laminar Access Laminar Optoelectronic Optoelectronic Neuroimaging System”Neuroimaging System”

Contract: “Wireless Contract: “Wireless Near-Infrared Devices Near-Infrared Devices for Neural Monitoring for Neural Monitoring in Operational in Operational Environments”Environments”

Security and medical Security and medical usesuses

The RoboratThe Roborat

No Bull: Jose Delgado’s No Bull: Jose Delgado’s “Stimoceiver”, 1958“Stimoceiver”, 1958

Modafinil (Provigil)Modafinil (Provigil)

Possible Possible replacement for replacement for amphetaminesamphetamines

The “Anti-Conscience” PillThe “Anti-Conscience” Pill

Beta blockers can be Beta blockers can be used to treat stress, used to treat stress, prevent PTSDprevent PTSD

Suppress release of Suppress release of hormones like hormones like norephinephrine that norephinephrine that help encode memoryhelp encode memory

Might also reduce guilt Might also reduce guilt feelingsfeelings

The trust drug?The trust drug? Natural oxytocin Natural oxytocin

production is production is associated with trust associated with trust behaviorbehavior

May be artificially May be artificially administered in a administered in a spray to encourage spray to encourage cooperationcooperation

Use in interrogations?Use in interrogations?

National Research Council National Research Council August 13, 2008August 13, 2008

Committee on Military and Committee on Military and Intelligence Methodology Intelligence Methodology for Emergent for Emergent Physiological andPhysiological andCognitive/Neural Science Cognitive/Neural Science Research in the Next Two Research in the Next Two DecadesDecades

Client: Defense Client: Defense Intelligence AgencyIntelligence Agency

National Research CouncilMay 12, 2009

Near term (within 5 years) Immersive virtual reality Heartbeat variability Galvanic skin response

Medium term (5-10 years) In-helmet EEG for brain-machine

interface Head and torso impact protection Biomarkers for predicting soldier

response to environmental stress Far term (10-20 years)

In-vehicle deployment of transcranial magnetic stimulation

Brain scanning to assess physiology Ongoing (within 5 years with

continued updating) Field-deployable biomarkers of neural

state Biomarkers for sleep levels

National Research Council National Research Council 2009 2009

0

50

100

1stQtr

3rdQtr

East

West

North

Goal of workshop: Describe the Goal of workshop: Describe the barriers to field validation of barriers to field validation of analytic and counter-intelligence analytic and counter-intelligence tools.tools.

Example: Portable lie-detector:Example: Portable lie-detector:

“ “Preliminary Credibility Screening Preliminary Credibility Screening System“ (PCASS)System“ (PCASS)

Committee on Field Committee on Field Evaluation of Behavioral Evaluation of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences-and Cognitive Sciences-Based Methods andBased Methods andTools for Intelligence and Tools for Intelligence and Counter-IntelligenceCounter-Intelligence

Clients are DIA and the Clients are DIA and the Office of the Department Office of the Department of National Intelligenceof National Intelligence

Workshop Sept. 22-23 Workshop Sept. 22-23

Thank you!Thank you! University of University of

PennsylvaniaPennsylvania Department of Medical Department of Medical

EthicsEthics Department of History and Department of History and

Sociology of ScienceSociology of Science Center for BioethicsCenter for Bioethics Center for Cognitive Center for Cognitive

NeuroscienceNeuroscience

Dana FoundationDana Foundation Howard Hughes Medical Howard Hughes Medical

InstituteInstitute National Research CouncilNational Research Council