Questioning a Classic
Psychology Study
The Stanford Prison Experiment is Psych 101.
After spending six days in a mock prison in
1971, volunteers, acting as either guards or
prisoners, snapped: Guards turned cruel, while
prisoners became traumatized.
But Medium reporter Ben Blum cast doubt
on this classic in June. In Stanford University’s
archives, Blum found audio of a researcher
coaching one of the guards on how to act. And
Blum interviewed a prisoner who confessed
to faking his breakdown. Though many have
critiqued the work before, these discoveries
could mean the beginning of the end of the
experiment’s legacy.Making a Game of It
Princeton University
researchers have
recruited over
250,000 video
gamers since
2012 to help
them plot a
mouse’s retinal
neural circuits.
The mapping
program
includes things
like achievement
badges to incentivize
participants to digitally trace
neurons’ complex pathways.
In May, the dataset became publicly
available. People can isolate individual
circuits or even single neurons — a feature
the researchers say can help others who are
investigating this chunk of the brain.January/February 2019^ DISCOVER^71
July
Biogen and Eisai report
promising results for their
antibody drug BAN2401. Users
of all dosages saw drops in
beta-amyloid beta levels, while
those using the trial’s highest
dosage also experienced
improved cognitive function.June
Biogen and Eisai reveal
that their BACE1 inhibitor
elenbecestat lowers
beta-amyloid levels, but
they can’t claim the drug
boosted people’s cognitive
function any better than
a placebo.CONTENDERS
Aducanumab:
Developed by Biogen,
this antibody binds to
beta-amyloid that builds
up specifically in brain
tissue rather than the
brain’s blood vessels.Atabecestat:
A BACE1 inhibitor
developed by Janssen.BAN2401:
An antibody developed
by Biogen and Eisai.
It binds to beta-
amyloid plaques and
dissolves them.Elenbecestat:
Developed by Biogen
and Eisai; a BACE1
inhibitor.Verubecestat:
Developed by Merck;
a BACE1 inhibitor.CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: GARY WATERS/SCIENCE SOURCE; PRISONEXP.ORG; ALEX NORTON/EYEWIRE
FURTHER AFIELD
Study
participants