1. Mind Wars:
Brain Research and
National Defense
Jonathan D. Moreno
David and Lyn Silfen University ProfessorDate
UNIVERSCITY OCF PENNSYLVANIA
CENTER FOR BIOETHICS

2. Recent Academies Projects
 Committee on Military and Intelligence Methodology forCommittee on Military and Intelligence Methodology for
Emergent Physiological and Cognitive/Neural ScienceEmergent Physiological and Cognitive/Neural Science
Research in the Next Two Decades,Research in the Next Two Decades, Emerging CognitiveEmerging Cognitive
Neuroscience and Related TechnologiesNeuroscience and Related Technologies, August 2008, August 2008
 Committee on Opportunities in Neuroscience for FutureCommittee on Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future
Army Applications,Army Applications, Opportunities in Neuroscience forOpportunities in Neuroscience for
Future Army ApplicationsFuture Army Applications, May 2009, May 2009
 Committee on Field Evaluation of Behavioral andCommittee on Field Evaluation of Behavioral and
Cognitive Sciences-Based Methods and Tools forCognitive Sciences-Based Methods and Tools for
Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence, WorkshopIntelligence and Counter-Intelligence, Workshop
September 2009September 2009

4. National Security, the Brain and Behavior:
Post WW II-era
 Hallucinogens
 Neuropsychiatry of
stress
 Personality theory
 Parapsychology

6. Allen DullesAllen Dulles
 Legendary CIA directorLegendary CIA director
 Commissioned Wolf-Commissioned Wolf-
Hinkle report on “brainHinkle report on “brain
washing”, 1953washing”, 1953
 SubsequentlySubsequently
supported varioussupported various
hallucinogenic andhallucinogenic and
innovative humaninnovative human
experimentsexperiments

7. Sidney GottliebSidney Gottlieb
 CIA spymasterCIA spymaster
 Developed toxic itemsDeveloped toxic items
for assassinationfor assassination
(Castro, Patrice(Castro, Patrice
Lumumba)Lumumba)
 Funded hallucinogenFunded hallucinogen
experimentsexperiments
 Architect of MKUltraArchitect of MKUltra
programprogram

9. Henry BeecherHenry Beecher
 Icon of human researchIcon of human research
ethicsethics
 Harvard anesthesiologyHarvard anesthesiology
professorprofessor
 Work on LSD supportedWork on LSD supported
by CIAby CIA
 Reported foreignReported foreign
science contacts to CIAscience contacts to CIA
through the 1950sthrough the 1950s

10. Henry A. MurrayHenry A. Murray
 Father of personalityFather of personality
theorytheory
 Director of HarvardDirector of Harvard
Psychological ClinicPsychological Clinic
 Explorations inExplorations in
PersonalityPersonality, 1938, 1938
 Developed ThematicDeveloped Thematic
Apperception Test forApperception Test for
the US Army duringthe US Army during
WWIIWWII
 First chiefFirst chief
psychologist in thepsychologist in the
OSSOSS
 Assessment of MenAssessment of Men,,
19481948

11. The Professor and theThe Professor and the
UnibomberUnibomber

12. Kurt LewinKurt Lewin
 Founder of modernFounder of modern
social psychologysocial psychology
 Advised OSS onAdvised OSS on
psychological warfarepsychological warfare
 Perhaps up to a third ofPerhaps up to a third of
major researchmajor research
university faculty wereuniversity faculty were
supported by securitysupported by security
agencies after WWIIagencies after WWII

13. J.B. RhineJ.B. Rhine
 Distinguished DukeDistinguished Duke
U. parapsychologyU. parapsychology
researcherresearcher
 ESP studiesESP studies
 CIA supportedCIA supported
starting in 1952starting in 1952
 ““Psiops”Psiops”

14. The “Mind Race”The “Mind Race”
“The claimed phenomena and applications”…presented
by several military officers, “range from the incredible to
the outrageously incredible. The ‘anti-missile time warp,’
for example, is somehow supposed to deflect attack from
nuclear warheads so that they will transcend time and
explode among the ancient dinosaurs….One suggested
application is a conception of the ‘First Earth Battalion,’
made up of ‘warrior monks’…including the use of ESP,
leaving their bodies at will, levitating, psychic healing and
walking through walls.”
 “Enhancing Human Performance: Issues Theories, and
Techniques,” Committee on Techniques for the Enhancement
of Human Performance, The National Research Council,1988

18. U.S. Test of Simulated Non-U.S. Test of Simulated Non-
Lethal Mortar Round, 2002Lethal Mortar Round, 2002
(Image from Project Sunshine)(Image from Project Sunshine)

19. The Moscow Theater Tragedy,The Moscow Theater Tragedy,
October 2002October 2002
 Chechen terroristsChechen terrorists
occupy Russianoccupy Russian
theater during playtheater during play
 Fentanyl pumped intoFentanyl pumped into
the heating ductsthe heating ducts
 Emergency teams notEmergency teams not
informed of the natureinformed of the nature
of the agentof the agent
 128 die128 die

21. Kay, K. N., Naselaris, T., Prenger, R. J. & Gallant, J. L. NatureKay, K. N., Naselaris, T., Prenger, R. J. & Gallant, J. L. Nature
advanced online publication doi:10.1038/nature067,advanced online publication doi:10.1038/nature067,
15 March 2008).15 March 2008).
““In the experiment, the brain activityIn the experiment, the brain activity
of two subjects was monitored whileof two subjects was monitored while
they were shown 1,750 differentthey were shown 1,750 different
pictures. The team then selected 120pictures. The team then selected 120
novel images that the subjects hadn’tnovel images that the subjects hadn’t
seen before, and used the previousseen before, and used the previous
results to predict their brainresults to predict their brain
responses. When the test subjectsresponses. When the test subjects
were shown one of the images, thewere shown one of the images, the
team could match the actual brainteam could match the actual brain
response to their predictions toresponse to their predictions to
accurately pick out which of theaccurately pick out which of the
pictures they had been shown. Withpictures they had been shown. With
one of the participants they wereone of the participants they were
correct 72% of the time, and with thecorrect 72% of the time, and with the
other 92% of the time; on chanceother 92% of the time; on chance
alone they would have been right onlyalone they would have been right only
0.8% of the time.”0.8% of the time.”

22. Non-invasive Brain ImagingNon-invasive Brain Imaging
 Uses fMRI (oxygenation)Uses fMRI (oxygenation)
or PET scans (glucose)or PET scans (glucose)
 Correlations ofCorrelations of
neurochemistry withneurochemistry with
behaviorbehavior
 NIRS (Near InfraredNIRS (Near Infrared
Spectroscopy) cheaperSpectroscopy) cheaper
and portable, alsoand portable, also
records oxygenation butrecords oxygenation but
poor temporal resolutionpoor temporal resolution

23. Transcranial MagneticTranscranial Magnetic
StimulationStimulation
 Induces changes in brainInduces changes in brain
activationactivation
 Could be used to alter aCould be used to alter a
person’s social behaviorperson’s social behavior
or attitudesor attitudes
 Influence brain functionsInfluence brain functions
including physicalincluding physical
movement, visualmovement, visual
perception, memory,perception, memory,
reaction time, speech andreaction time, speech and
moodmood

24. Neuroimaging and theNeuroimaging and the
“Head Web” (DARPA)“Head Web” (DARPA) Noninvasive brainNoninvasive brain
monitoring devicesmonitoring devices
 Contract: “HeadContract: “Head
Access LaminarAccess Laminar
OptoelectronicOptoelectronic
NeuroimagingNeuroimaging
System”System”
 Contract: “WirelessContract: “Wireless
Near-Infrared DevicesNear-Infrared Devices
for Neural Monitoringfor Neural Monitoring
in Operationalin Operational
Environments”Environments”
 Security and medicalSecurity and medical
usesuses

26. The RoboratThe Roborat

27. No Bull: Jose Delgado’sNo Bull: Jose Delgado’s
“Stimoceiver”, 1958“Stimoceiver”, 1958

28. Modafinil (Provigil)Modafinil (Provigil)
 PossiblePossible
replacement forreplacement for
amphetaminesamphetamines

30. The “Anti-Conscience” PillThe “Anti-Conscience” Pill
 Beta blockers can beBeta blockers can be
used to treat stress,used to treat stress,
prevent PTSDprevent PTSD
 Suppress release ofSuppress release of
hormones likehormones like
norephinephrine thatnorephinephrine that
help encode memoryhelp encode memory
 Might also reduce guiltMight also reduce guilt
feelingsfeelings

31. The trust drug?The trust drug?
 Natural oxytocinNatural oxytocin
production isproduction is
associated with trustassociated with trust
behaviorbehavior
 May be artificiallyMay be artificially
administered in aadministered in a
spray to encouragespray to encourage
cooperationcooperation
 Use in interrogations?Use in interrogations?

32. National Research CouncilNational Research Council
August 13, 2008August 13, 2008
 Committee on MilitaryCommittee on Military
and Intelligenceand Intelligence
Methodology forMethodology for
Emergent PhysiologicalEmergent Physiological
andand
Cognitive/Neural ScienceCognitive/Neural Science
Research in the Next TwoResearch in the Next Two
DecadesDecades
 Client: DefenseClient: Defense
Intelligence AgencyIntelligence Agency

33. National Research Council
May 12, 2009
 Near term (within 5 years)
 Immersive virtual reality
 Heartbeat variability
 Galvanic skin response
 Medium term (5-10 years)
 In-helmet EEG for brain-machine
interface
 Head and torso impact protection
 Biomarkers for predicting soldier
response to environmental stress
 Far term (10-20 years)
 In-vehicle deployment of transcranial
magnetic stimulation
 Brain scanning to assess physiology
 Ongoing (within 5 years with
continued updating)
 Field-deployable biomarkers of neural
state
 Biomarkers for sleep levels

34. National Research CouncilNational Research Council
20092009
0
50
100
1st
Qtr
3rd
Qtr
East
West
North
 Goal of workshop: Describe theGoal of workshop: Describe the
barriers to field validation ofbarriers to field validation of
analytic and counter-intelligenceanalytic and counter-intelligence
tools.tools.
Example: Portable lie-detector:Example: Portable lie-detector:
““Preliminary Credibility ScreeningPreliminary Credibility Screening
System“ (PCASS)System“ (PCASS)
 Committee on FieldCommittee on Field
Evaluation of BehavioralEvaluation of Behavioral
and Cognitive Sciences-and Cognitive Sciences-
Based Methods andBased Methods and
Tools for Intelligence andTools for Intelligence and
Counter-IntelligenceCounter-Intelligence
 Clients are DIA and theClients are DIA and the
Office of the DepartmentOffice of the Department
of National Intelligenceof National Intelligence
 Workshop Sept. 22-23Workshop Sept. 22-23

35. Thank you!Thank you!
 University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
 Department of MedicalDepartment of Medical
EthicsEthics
 Department of History andDepartment of History and
Sociology of ScienceSociology of Science
 Center for BioethicsCenter for Bioethics
 Center for CognitiveCenter for Cognitive
NeuroscienceNeuroscience
 Dana FoundationDana Foundation
 Howard Hughes MedicalHoward Hughes Medical
InstituteInstitute
 National Research CouncilNational Research Council