青少年脑发育的神经法学研究与应用

神经科学研究的发展推动并孕育了新兴交叉学科--神经法学, 青少年脑发育与其刑事责任能力的关系是神经法学的重要关注内容。研究发现, 青少年中期冒险行为倾向加剧可能源于其社会情感和认知控制的脑发育轨迹不同, 由皮层下组织主导的社会情感系统呈倒U形发展趋势, 在青少年中期达到峰值, 而由额叶成熟主导的认知控制系统发展呈线性增长,到成人早期才完成, 即, 皮层下组织与前额皮层的功能成熟不平衡导致了青少年的高犯罪率。这些神经科学证据已经进入美国青少年刑事案件的审判并产生实质影响, 但也有人对神经科学证据应用于法庭持有异议。相对于法律系统的需求, 青少年脑发育的神经法学需要在研究和实践方面同时努力。

The Research and Application of Neurolaw Evidence about Teenage Cime

With continuous extension of neuroscience research,a new interdisciplinary,neurolaw (also named neuroscience and the law),emerges. The relationship between brain development and the criminal responsibility of adolescents is one focused theme. Related research indicated that the intensified risk-taking tendencies in mid-teens may be rooted in an imbalance between the maturation process of control and reward brain circuitry. That is,the mature trajectory of subcortical sensation seeking system is different from that of the top-down prefrontal control system. Reward related regions appear to show a curvilinear development pattern(inverted U-shape pattern),with an increase during adolescence relative to childhood and adulthood. In contrast to subcortical social-affective system,the control-related regions follow a linear development pattern until earlier adult. The scientific evidence about adolescent brain development has reached and influenced the decisions of US Supreme Court about criminal culpability of juveniles,but there is still some people object to admit its reliability,and argue that current research cannot contribute usefully to legal decisions about individual adolescent and should not be used in criminal trials at the present time. To meet the standards for its admissibility in legal system,neurolawyers should strengthen efforts in research and practice at the same time.