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Imagining risk in AI-based neuroprosthetics: sociotechnical futures of care in Parkinson's disease.

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Title: Imagining risk in AI-based neuroprosthetics: sociotechnical futures of care in Parkinson's disease.
Authors: Morsello, Barbara (AUTHOR), Vassanelli, Stefano (AUTHOR)
Source: Health, Risk & Society. Apr-Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 3/4, p231-251. 21p.
Subjects: Fear, Dehumanization, Medical technology, Qualitative research, Diffusion of innovations, Patient safety, Neurologists, Artificial intelligence, Interviewing, Statistical sampling, Parkinson's disease, Deep brain stimulation, Physicians' attitudes, Bioethics, Uncertainty, Emotions, Judgment sampling, Attitude (Psychology), Research, Artificial neural networks, Trust, Physician-patient relations, Risk perception, Biomedical technicians, Grounded theory, Therapeutic alliance, Patients' attitudes, Psychosocial factors
Geographic Terms: Italy, Austria, Switzerland
Abstract: This article explores how different stakeholders imagine and negotiate risk in the emerging field of intelligent neuroprostheses (INPs) for Parkinson's disease. Drawing on qualitative research conducted within the Horizon 2020 SYNCH project, we examine how clinicians, engineers, and patients construct divergent sociotechnical imaginaries around INPs; visions that shape not only expectations of innovation but also perceptions of safety, ethics, and therapeutic legitimacy. While previous research shows that individuals navigate risk and uncertainty through 'in-between' strategies grounded in intuition, emotion, and trust, we move beyond this focus on individual coping to demonstrate that such strategies are collectively produced within sociotechnical imaginaries. From this perspective, risk is not only managed but imagined, embedded in shared moral, institutional, and cultural visions of desirable futures. On one side, Techno-Progressive Optimists and Pragmatic Conditionalists frame risk as a manageable and proportional challenge, as something to be mitigated through technological refinement, personalisation, and clinical expertise. On the other, Ontological Realists, Biomedical Conservatives, and Techno-Sceptical Traditionalists construct risk as a moral and existential boundary, evoking fears of dehumanisation, loss of agency, and the erosion of the therapeutic relationship. Patients' experiences further illustrate how risk is continuously reinterpreted through everyday practices of adaptation, embodiment, and trust-building. Ultimately, the study shows that understanding how risk is imagined is crucial for the responsible governance of AI-driven neurotechnologies, ensuring that innovation remains ethically grounded, socially responsive, and attentive to inequality in access and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Health, Risk & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Imagining risk in AI-based neuroprosthetics: sociotechnical futures of care in Parkinson's disease.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Health%2C+Risk+%26+Society%22">Health, Risk & Society</searchLink>. Apr-Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 3/4, p231-251. 21p.
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This article explores how different stakeholders imagine and negotiate risk in the emerging field of intelligent neuroprostheses (INPs) for Parkinson's disease. Drawing on qualitative research conducted within the Horizon 2020 SYNCH project, we examine how clinicians, engineers, and patients construct divergent sociotechnical imaginaries around INPs; visions that shape not only expectations of innovation but also perceptions of safety, ethics, and therapeutic legitimacy. While previous research shows that individuals navigate risk and uncertainty through 'in-between' strategies grounded in intuition, emotion, and trust, we move beyond this focus on individual coping to demonstrate that such strategies are collectively produced within sociotechnical imaginaries. From this perspective, risk is not only managed but imagined, embedded in shared moral, institutional, and cultural visions of desirable futures. On one side, Techno-Progressive Optimists and Pragmatic Conditionalists frame risk as a manageable and proportional challenge, as something to be mitigated through technological refinement, personalisation, and clinical expertise. On the other, Ontological Realists, Biomedical Conservatives, and Techno-Sceptical Traditionalists construct risk as a moral and existential boundary, evoking fears of dehumanisation, loss of agency, and the erosion of the therapeutic relationship. Patients' experiences further illustrate how risk is continuously reinterpreted through everyday practices of adaptation, embodiment, and trust-building. Ultimately, the study shows that understanding how risk is imagined is crucial for the responsible governance of AI-driven neurotechnologies, ensuring that innovation remains ethically grounded, socially responsive, and attentive to inequality in access and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Health, Risk & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194058307
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/13698575.2026.2649283
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 231
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Fear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dehumanization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diffusion of innovations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient safety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neurologists
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parkinson's disease
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Deep brain stimulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physicians' attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bioethics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Uncertainty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Judgment sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial neural networks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trust
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physician-patient relations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Risk perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biomedical technicians
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grounded theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Therapeutic alliance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patients' attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Italy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Austria
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Switzerland
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Imagining risk in AI-based neuroprosthetics: sociotechnical futures of care in Parkinson's disease.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Morsello, Barbara
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            NameFull: Vassanelli, Stefano
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            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr-Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 28
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3/4
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            – TitleFull: Health, Risk & Society
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