Due to the new Covid-19 measures, cinemas are currently closed. We have changed this event from a live event to an online event. 

In this third satellite event of InScience/Maastricht, we’ll explore the world of the mind and thinking from three different angles. Will deep brain stimulation change psychiatry and our concept of happiness? What did Oliver Sacks learn us about being ‘a sentient being on this beautiful planet’? And how do racial and gender biases in AI systems impact our democracy?

This program is organised in close collaboration with Lumière Cinema and shows films from this year’s festival selection. Staff members of Maastricht University will introduce the films, and afterwards give a brief response to them and answer your questions.

Hunting for Hedonia
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a revolutionary tool in neuroscience and as a treatment it is crossing over from controlling movement in Parkinson’s to alleviating mental illness. Trials are underway in depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. In addition, DBS has a fascinating forgotten history. In 1950, psychiatrist Robert Heath was the first to implant electrodes deep in the brain of a human. Heath wanted to cure schizophrenia but expanded his method to be used to treat depression, chronic pain and even aggression.

Hunting for Hedonia contrasts history and current developments to examine and elucidate where DBS is going.

Guest speaker 
Dr. Annelien Duits works as a clinical Clinical Neuropsychologist at University Hospital Maastricht as part of the group of practitioners at Deep Brain Stimulation. She will talk about the current state of affairs of DBS and reflect on the ethics of this technique.