Brain matters: from environmental ethics to environmental neuroethics

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Neuroscience
• Ethics
• Public Health

Background:

• Human-environment interactions studied for decades.
• Environmental ethics formalized in the 1970s.
• Environmental health emerged focusing on environmental factors affecting living beings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the impact of modern environmental change on biomedical and social understandings of brain and mental health.
• To align these understandings with ethical considerations.
• To introduce the concept of Environmental Neuroethics.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis.
• Introduction of a new interdisciplinary focus: Environmental Neuroethics.
• Presentation of a case study to illustrate key themes.
• Development of a five-tier analytical framework.

Main Results:

• Environmental change poses significant challenges to brain and mental health.
• Existing ethical and health frameworks require expansion to address neuroethical dimensions.
• A structured approach is needed to analyze the complex interplay between environment, brain, and mental well-being.

Conclusions:

• Environmental Neuroethics provides a crucial lens for understanding contemporary environmental challenges.
• The proposed framework offers a starting point for analyzing the multifaceted impacts on brain and mental health.
• Interdisciplinary dialogue is essential for addressing the ethical and health implications of environmental change.