The concise argument
Introduction to this new feature
This is a new item that will appear in each issue of the journal. In it we will briefly highlight the main arguments and conclusions of some of the papers published in the issue. We will try to pick the most interesting papers, but what is interesting is undoubtedly a personal and perhaps idiosyncratic judgement so authors and readers should not feel offended if their favourite paper in the issue is not mentioned!
Brain stimulation between a rock and a hard place
Intracranial brain stimulation can be an effective treatment for otherwise untreatable Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. But some patients develop severe psychiatric conditions as a side effect, and in some it is not possible to achieve the therapeutic effect without the side effects. Walter Glannon describes one such case and analyses the complex decisions facing the patient and the healthcare professionals. If the patient chooses to continue the treatment he chooses to enter a state where he loses his autonomy and becomes incompetent to make decisions. But we usually assume that …
