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Smith v. Aroostook County
The court ordered Aroostook County Jail to continue Brenda Smith’s buprenorphine prescription during her sentence. Forced withdrawal would cause severe suffering and overdose risk, likely violating the ADA.
Atypical Prefrontal-amygdala Circuitry Following Childhood Exposure to Abuse: Links with Adolescent Psychopathology
Childhood abuse alters brain networks involved in emotion, specifically the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and amygdala. These changes predict future mental health issues.
Neural Substrates of Inhibitory Control Maturation in Adolescence
Adolescents can engage inhibitory control systems at adult levels, but their ability to use these processes consistently improves into adulthood. This maturation involves changes in specific brain areas.
Positive Risk Taking in Adolescence
Risk-taking encompasses a spectrum from positive, socially acceptable behaviors to negative, dangerous ones. Positive risks generally benefit well-being, carry mild potential costs, and are legal and socially acceptable.
Racism and Health: Evidence and Needed Research
Racism, an organized social system, profoundly affects health and creates racial health inequities. It operates through structural, cultural, and individual mechanisms, acting as a fundamental cause of persistent disparities.
The Teenage Brain: Public Perceptions of Neurocognitive Development During Adolescence
Neuroscience research on adolescent brain development often leads to misconceptions in public discourse. This study explores how public understanding of the "teenage brain" influences adolescents' self-perception and behaviors.
Porter v. Clarke
The 4th Circuit found Virginia's near-solitary confinement for death-row inmates unconstitutional. It risked serious psychological harm due to 23-24 hour in-cell isolation and minimal social contact.
Pike v. Gross
The court denied Pike's appeal. His claim was that his lawyer failed to present evidence of brain damage, bipolar disorder, and PTSD during his sentencing.
Anderson v. Kelley
The Eighth Circuit found counsel’s investigation into Anderson’s mitigation claims, including teen brain limits and PTSD, was reasonable. Therefore, legal assistance was not constitutionally deficient.
Andrews v. Davis
The Ninth Circuit ordered a new sentencing phase. Trial counsel was ineffective for not presenting significant evidence of the defendant's abusive upbringing and trauma during the initial sentencing.
The Brain in Solitude: An (Other) Eighth Amendment Challenge to Solitary Confinement
Solitary confinement lacks consistent rules and often causes harm, yet courts rarely find it unconstitutional. New neuroscience research suggests extreme isolation inherently deprives basic human needs and can cause lasting brain damage.
There Is No One Here to Protect You: Trauma Among Children Fleeing Violence in Central America
Children fleeing violence in Central America arrive at the U.S. border with significant trauma. Many experience severe physical and psychological issues, yet U.S. policies often worsen their suffering.
Linn v. State
The Iowa Supreme Court reinstated a murder defendant's claim, finding that expert testimony on battered woman syndrome and trauma could be critical, and denying funds for such an expert was an abuse of discretion.
State v. Jenkins
The Nebraska Supreme Court found prolonged solitary confinement can worsen mental illness. However, the court did not consider it a mitigating factor because the defendant's misconduct caused the isolation.
Madison v. Alabama
The Supreme Court ruled that memory loss by itself does not prevent execution. The key question is whether a prisoner rationally understands the reason for their execution despite a mental disorder.