Neuroskeptic’s Patient-Researcher Perspective

Neuroskeptic just published a very interesting post asking: What Can “Lived Experience” Teach Neuroscientists? It’s a short reflection on whether or not neuroscientific research on depression (for instance) should include more patient perspectives. Being very up-front about a personal history of depression, Neuroskeptic points to a problem that sounds almost like the barber paradox. (Read it.)

Two thoughts on that:

1) It is great that Neuroskeptic takes a step in the direction of de-stigmatizing depression.

2) I see a solution to the neuro-barber problem. Some personal experience of depression doesn’t necessarily help us research it better. But the individual patient’s experience of the disease helps us treat this specific individual more successfully.

Here’s to personalized medicine.


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