From Bacillus Criminalis to the Legalome: Will Neuromicrobiology Impact 21st Century Criminal Justice?

IF 2.8 3区 医学 Q3 NEUROSCIENCES
Alan C Logan, Barbara Cordell, Suresh D Pillai, Jake M Robinson, Susan L Prescott
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Abstract

The idea that gut microbes or a "bacillus of crime" might promote criminal behavior was popularized in the early 20th century. Today, advances in neuromicrobiology and related omics technologies are lending credibility to the idea. In recent cases of dismissal of driving while intoxicated charges, courts in the United States and Europe have acknowledged that gut microbes can manufacture significant amounts of systemically available ethanol, without a defendant's awareness. Indeed, emergent research is raising difficult questions for criminal justice systems that depend on prescientific notions of free moral agency. Evidence demonstrates that gut microbes play a role in neurophysiology, influencing cognition and behaviors. This may lead to justice involvement via involuntary intoxication, aggression, anger, irritability, and antisocial behavior. Herein, we discuss these 'auto-brewery syndrome' court decisions, arguing that they portend a much larger incorporation of neuromicrobiology and multi-omics science within the criminal justice system. The legalome, which refers to the application of gut microbiome and omics sciences in the context of forensic psychiatry/psychology, will likely play an increasing role in 21st century criminal justice. The legalome concept is bolstered by epidemiology, mechanistic bench science, fecal transplant studies, multi-omics and polygenic research, Mendelian randomization work, microbiome signature research, and human intervention trials. However, a more robust body of microbiota-gut-brain axis research is needed, especially through the lens of prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. With ethical guardrails in place, greater inclusion of at-risk or justice-involved persons in brain science and microbiome research has the potential to transform justice systems for the better.

从犯罪芽孢杆菌到豆科:神经微生物学将影响21世纪的刑事司法吗?
肠道微生物或“犯罪杆菌”可能促进犯罪行为的观点在20世纪初得到普及。今天,神经微生物学和相关组学技术的进步为这一想法提供了可信度。在最近几起驳回酒后驾车指控的案件中,美国和欧洲的法院承认,肠道微生物可以在被告没有意识到的情况下制造大量的全身可用乙醇。事实上,新兴研究正在为依赖于自由道德能动性的前科学概念的刑事司法系统提出难题。有证据表明,肠道微生物在神经生理学中发挥作用,影响认知和行为。这可能通过非自愿的醉酒、攻击、愤怒、易怒和反社会行为导致司法介入。在此,我们讨论这些“自动酿造综合症”的法院判决,认为它们预示着刑事司法系统中神经微生物学和多组学科学的更大结合。legalome指的是肠道微生物组学和组学科学在法医精神病学/心理学背景下的应用,可能在21世纪的刑事司法中发挥越来越大的作用。流行病学、机械实验科学、粪便移植研究、多组学和多基因研究、孟德尔随机化工作、微生物组特征研究和人类干预试验支持了legalome概念。然而,需要一个更强大的微生物-肠-脑轴研究机构,特别是通过预防,干预和康复的角度。有了道德护栏,在脑科学和微生物组研究中更多地纳入风险或司法相关人员有可能使司法系统变得更好。
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来源期刊
Brain Sciences
Brain Sciences Neuroscience-General Neuroscience
CiteScore
4.80
自引率
9.10%
发文量
1472
审稿时长
18.71 days
期刊介绍: Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles, critical reviews, research notes and short communications in the areas of cognitive neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, molecular and cellular neuroscience, neural engineering, neuroimaging, neurolinguistics, neuropathy, systems neuroscience, and theoretical and computational neuroscience. Our aim is to encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible. There is no restriction on the length of the papers. The full experimental details must be provided so that the results can be reproduced. Electronic files or software regarding the full details of the calculation and experimental procedure, if unable to be published in a normal way, can be deposited as supplementary material.
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