Neuroethics and global mental health: Establishing a dialogue

At first glance, neuroethics and global mental health would seem to have relatively little in common; the former is often focused on the use or misuse of novel and specialized neurotechnologies in specialized or high-income settings, while the latter is often focused on the scaling up of existing treatments in primary care settings in low- and middle-income countries. On closer examination, however, they have significant overlapping concerns and approaches that may be mutually empowering. They both (1) take a naturalist and empirical approach to their questions of interest, (2) are concerned with both disease and with well-being, (3) embrace human rights and patient empowerment, and (4) hold a deep appreciation for human diversity. This chapter considers each of these areas and argues for the importance of conversation and collaboration between neuroethics and global mental health toward a truly international neuroethics.