Science journalism: the importance of shaping the communication channel between scientists and the general public

Abstract

No matter how useful, complex or astonishing a discovery related to the brain is, it impacts magically on public opinion. Beyond the pure understanding of the brain mechanisms are the cure of neurological and psychiatric disorders and, even more attractive, the power to understand and modify people’s behaviour. While breakthroughs have been communicated to the scientific community by traditional means, general public receive these news through the media. In this work we analyse different paradigmatic cases where wrong communicative strategies and their consequences impacted negatively on the society. Along with the presentation of those cases, we advise over the necessity of incorporating journalists to the scientific loop of discovery and communication, in order to guarantee the general public understanding of neuroscience discoveries and progress