Approved Discussion on Nerve Stapling

[CONCENTRAL]

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Technology Report Name of Origin Country: Vestor Licit People's Mandate & Licit Chiri Mandate Name of Technology/Object: Nerve Stapling Supporting Real Life References: [1] - Abbott CC, et al. (Mar 2014). "A review of longitudinal electroconvulsive therapy: neuroimaging investigations". J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 27 (1): 33–46. doi:10.1177/0891988713516542. PMID 24381234 [2] - FDA. FDA Executive Summary. Prepared for the January 27–28, 2011 meeting of the Neurological Devices Panel Meeting to Discuss the Classification of Electroconvulsive Therapy Devices (ECT). [3] - Read, J; Bentall, R (Oct–Dec 2010). "The effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy: a literature review." (PDF). Epidemiologia e psichiatria sociale. 19 (4): 333–47. doi:10.1017/S1121189X00000671. PMID 21322506.
Report Description: Nerve stapling is a behavioral readjustment procedure undertaken for higher-tiered citizens as a humane alternative to deservicing, better known in other nations as electroconvulsive therapy. Nerve stapling is used to treat a wide variety of mental illnesses like seizures, catatonia, negative compliance, mania, work performance unbecoming a citizen's tier, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder[1]. The difference between nerve stapling and traditional electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) lies in the method of treatment. ECT is often conducted in a clinic with the patient being brought to an ECT device, while nerve stapling starts with a surgical procedure to implant a small, battery-powered ECT device similar to a pacemaker into the skull above either the frontal or medial temporal lobes[2]. This allows treatment to be administered either on a regular timer or remotely by a physician. Nerve stapling treatment allows malcompliant or even negatively compliant citizens to live productive, mobile lives with less physician commitment than traditional electroconvulsive therapy. In some infrequent-cycle treatments, physicians may check in as rarely as once a week to ensure treatment is being applied consistently. This is especially useful to higher-tiered citizens in sensitive positions who spend large amounts of time outside the MANINTERN, such as citizen diplomats, citizen trade-merchants, and contracted penal brigadiers. Side-effects may include retrograde amnesia[3], disorientation, vomiting, seizures, and reduced hand-eye coordination. Show ContentImages: Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...ine%29.jpg Image 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrocon...ine_03.JPG Show ContentSpecifications: N/A, varies by medical need

[DeSchaine]

An interesting, if seemingly horrible and inhumane, technology. Upon further research, the technology is already in use, under the term "Deep Brain Stimulation." It is used to treat things like Parkinsons, pain issues and extreme OCD. I see nothing wrong with allowing this technology to be used.

[STRATCOM]

Esteemed technologist DeSchaine, thank you for your kind analysis. We will look further into Deep Brain Stimulation, which may be a subset of electroconvulsive therapy.

[Zabuza825]

There are several differences between deep brain stimulation and electroconvulsive therapy (I had to do a paper on this in high school, so I have some basic knowledge, but for the record I'm not an expert on this and there are people who are more knowledgeable than me on this).

Deep brain stimulation involves using controlled electrical bursts to specific parts of the brain to achieve the desired results.

Electroconvulsive therapy involves the use of electric shocks to the brain to induce seizures, with the idea to be to "reset" the brain to a "normal" state.

So what are the differences?

• Electroconvulsive therapy induces seizures, deep brain stimulation does not.
  
• Deep brain stimulation involves controlled and targeted electrical bursts, electroconvulsive therapy also has controlled electrical bursts but the target is the entire brain rather than specific parts of it.
  
• The effects of deep brain stimulation are usually reversible, electroconvulsive therapy isn't always reversible.
  

Just wanted to put those differences out there. The general idea could work in theory, but in real life we don't know enough about the brain to be able to control someones actions through a method like this one. That said, there are scientists who are working on it (perhaps terrifyingly). We've actually gotten to the point where we are able to control the actions of laboratory mice (click here for source). That said, I do want to point out that the human brain is much more complicated than a mouse's brain, and it will still take quite a long time for this to work.

Anyway, this just seems like a logical (though unethical) extension of the technology behind deep brain stimulation. I only have one issue with the way it's described here, and that's the placement of the battery.

In the implants used for deep brain stimulation, the battery is places outside of the skull, usually in the abdomen. This is probably because if you want the treatment to be able to be administered long-term, you'd need to do it without hooking your body up to a plug every day, and long-lasting batteries generally don't fit into the human skull. But really, that's the only problem I can think of when it comes to the actual application of this as described.

[CONCENTRAL]

Esteemed technologist Zabuza, the Vestor Licit People's Mandate must thank you for your collaboration in the emergent field of Nerve stapling. The socioengineering teams originally charged with the development of Nerve stapling technology had not originally conceived of such thorough and promising expansion of the technology and as such have been Nerve stapled for failing to work at the level expected of their tier.

The current Nerve stapling is used as an interrupter to suppress observed negative compliance afflicting citizens. With your suggestions the Mandate National Laboratories believes it can induce positively compliant behavior in citizenry. Please, submit a diplomatic visa application and upon the paperwork being processed, the Mandate hopes that it will be able to show you a live demonstration of your theories.

The CT1/MT1 leadership will surely hail you as a hero for this magnanimous improvement in the Health Development of The Citizens through Health Development of The State.

[Ayzek]

Dumb question, but I'm curious: Is this technology "used" to fix the ghey/deviance? Is it also used on persons that have not legitimately been diagnosed with mental disorders and are instead being shocked in an attempt to induce compliance/submission? Or in an attempt to change/influence personalities? How effective is it, in such cases?

[STRATCOM]

Esteemed technologist Ayzek, unlike degenerate robber-baron democracies, the MANINTERN does not castrate or mutilate citizens based on sexual preference or mental state. Homosexuals are given a minor tier credit for doing their part to control overpopulation, which is then offset with a minor tier demerit for failing to continue the legacy of the state through inability to produce a breeding pair. As stated elsewhere, mentally disabled persons are given work appropriate to their strengths like any compliant citizen. Noncompliant citizens can be nerve stapled as stated above, as noncompliance is one of the mental disorders that the treatment is designed to cure.

[Ayzek]

That doesn't mean it can't, if it wanted to. Creepy stuff. Actually, the brain's a mysterious place, so even if I grant you  Hmm...okay.

Taking into consideration the above, the Directorate:

• clarifies that it is considering "deep brain stimulation" and not "electroconvulsive therapy",
  
• dismisses this submission,
  
• affirms that deep brain stimulation, to the extent explored in real-life, is available to in-game first- and second- world countries,
  
• recognizes that it is called "nerve stapling" in Vestor Licit and Licit Chiri,
  
• grants Vestor Licit and Licit Chiri a leading role in deep brain stimulation research.
  

As a leader in DMS, Vestor Licit and Licit Chiri have discovered where and how to shock people in order to mitigate desire/increase detachment and consequently somewhat reduce defiance. This is through a procedure that is not always successful. It is not permanent and requires re-application every few days. Side effects and complications are a real risk. And it won't work if the person isn't quite motivated by desire (eg., for freedom or whatever). But when it works well, it's somewhat subdued another dissenter.

It doesn't and the Directorate won't allow completely sucking the soul out someone and reducing them a compliant drone...at least until we've made more progress real-life side on what what how the brain works (which parts control what, and how influencing one part affects the whole). But even this much should allow you to dystopia/totalitarian harder.

Also, if someone has alternatives on how we might influence a brain to induce compliance/reduce dissentiveness, feel free to mention them.