European Journal of Emerging Dental Research
ISSN: Applied Publication Frequency: Halfyearly Open Access | International Journal | Double Blinded Peer Reviewed Journal
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The Interdisciplinary Convergence of Neuroeconomics, Neuroethics, and Neurophilosophy: A Critical Analysis of Reductive Explanations in the Social Sciences
This research article investigates the burgeoning intersection of neuroscience with traditional social science disciplines, specifically focusing on the emergence of neuroeconomics and neuroethics. As advancements in neuroimaging and molecular biology provide deeper insights into the biological substrates of human behavior, a foundational tension arises between reductive physicalism and the autonomy of the "special sciences." This study employs a meta-analytical and theoretical framework to evaluate how neuroscience informs economic decision-making and ethical frameworks. The research explores the concept of consilience—the unity of knowledge—between the brain sciences and the study of choice, while simultaneously addressing the philosophical challenges of reductionism in psychiatry and moral psychology. By synthesizing perspectives from neurophilosophy and critical neuroscience, the article argues that while neuroscience provides essential mechanistic data, it cannot fully replace the normative and social dimensions of human action. The findings suggest that a multi-level explanatory model is required to bridge the gap between synaptic activity and complex cultural phenomena. The study further delineates the ethical implications of neuroscientific progress, including issues of cognitive enhancement and the biological basis of morality. Ultimately, this work advocates for a "critical neuroscience" approach that integrates biological findings without succumbing to eliminative materialism, ensuring that the social and cultural contexts of human agency remain central to the academic discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lars Sørensen (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Temporal Integration, Decision Thresholds, and the Metaphysics of Choice: Neural, Cognitive, and Philosophical Foundations of Speed–Accuracy Tradeoffs in Perceptual Decision Making
The relationship between neural mechanisms of decision making and longstanding philosophical debates concerning agency, free will, probability, and rationality has emerged as one of the most intellectually fertile areas of contemporary cognitive neuroscience. At the center of this interdisciplinary convergence lies the problem of how biological systems make decisions under uncertainty, time pressure, and informational constraints. Empirical work in systems neuroscience, particularly studies of perceptual decision making in primates, has demonstrated that neural populations in parietal and frontal cortices integrate sensory evidence over time, dynamically adjust decision thresholds, and reflect probabilistic expectations derived from prior experience. These findings raise profound questions about the nature of choice, the tradeoff between speed and accuracy, the representation of time and probability in neural systems, and the extent to which human decision making can be considered rational, free, or deterministic. This article develops an integrated theoretical and empirical analysis of the neural correlates of decision making with a particular focus on the speed–accuracy tradeoff, elapsed decision time, and the weighting of prior probabilities. Drawing exclusively on the provided reference corpus, the article synthesizes experimental findings from macaque neurophysiology, computational interpretations of neural integration, and philosophical frameworks ranging from empiricism and pragmatism to contemporary metaphysics of mind. The work situates neural decision mechanisms within broader debates about probabilistic reasoning, temporal consciousness, narrative selfhood, and the physicalist explanation of mental phenomena. Methodologically, the article adopts a text-based analytical approach that reconstructs experimental paradigms, neural response patterns, and theoretical models in descriptive detail, avoiding formal mathematical exposition while preserving conceptual rigor. The results section articulates how neural activity in areas such as the lateral intraparietal cortex reflects accumulated evidence, elapsed time, hazard rates, and decision thresholds, thereby embodying a biologically grounded form of quasi-rational inference. The discussion extends these findings to philosophical issues concerning determinism, agency, and the subjective experience of choice, critically engaging with empiricist, Bayesian, and narrative accounts of mind. By integrating neuroscience, probability theory, and philosophy, this article argues that decision making is best understood as a temporally extended, probabilistically structured process that reconciles mechanistic causation with functional autonomy. The speed–accuracy tradeoff is interpreted not merely as a behavioral phenomenon but as a window into the architecture of cognition itself, revealing how brains negotiate the demands of survival, rationality, and meaning within a constrained biological substrate.
Copyright (c) 2026 Aarav Müller (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Neural Synchrony, Reductionism, and Stigma: Integrating Neurophenomenology and Social Theory in Contemporary Understandings of Mental Illness
Mental illness occupies a uniquely complex position at the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy of mind, social theory, and public morality. Over the past several decades, dominant explanatory frameworks have increasingly emphasized biomedical, genetic, and neurochemical accounts of mental disorder, often framed through reductionist scientific models. At the same time, social research has demonstrated that such models profoundly shape public attitudes, stigma, and policy responses toward individuals labeled as mentally ill. This article develops an integrative, theoretically grounded analysis that brings together neurophenomenological approaches to consciousness, classical debates on scientific reduction, and sociological and psychological research on stigma and public attitudes. Drawing strictly on the provided references, the paper examines how neural synchrony theories and the unity of consciousness challenge simplistic neurobiological reductionism, while empirical studies on stigma reveal unintended social consequences of biomedical and genetic explanations of mental illness. The article argues that reductionist accounts, while scientifically productive, risk obscuring the lived, embodied, and socioeconomically situated dimensions of mental suffering. By synthesizing insights from Varela and Thompson’s neurophenomenology, Nagel’s philosophy of science, Pigliucci’s critique of scientistic reductionism, and extensive sociological research on stigma, labeling, and socioeconomic determinants of mental disorders, this work proposes a multi-level, non-reductive framework for understanding mental illness. Such a framework recognizes neural mechanisms without collapsing subjective experience and social meaning into purely biological terms. The discussion further explores the ethical, cultural, and clinical implications of this integrated perspective, including its relevance for public messaging, mental health policy, and cross-cultural understandings of illness. Ultimately, the article contends that addressing mental illness responsibly requires not only scientific rigor but also philosophical humility and social reflexivity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Alejandro Moreno (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Neural Decision-Making, Probability, and Psychiatric Vulnerability: Integrating Perceptual Choice, Temporal Evidence Accumulation, and Biological Complexity
Decision-making is one of the most fundamental operations of the human brain, linking sensory input, internal representations, motivational states, and overt action. Over the past several decades, neuroscience has moved from descriptive localization of function toward mechanistic accounts of how neural populations encode evidence, integrate information over time, and translate probabilistic representations into behavioral commitments. At the same time, parallel traditions in philosophy, probability theory, psychiatry, and systems biology have grappled with questions of determinism, uncertainty, agency, and pathological deviation. This article develops an integrative, theory-driven account of neural decision-making by synthesizing seminal work on perceptual choice, temporal integration, and reward-based inference with broader perspectives on probability, emergence, and psychiatric vulnerability. Drawing strictly on the provided references, the article situates the influential work of Gold and Shadlen on evidence accumulation within a historical lineage that includes Turing’s wartime statistical reasoning, Hume’s epistemology, and James’s reflections on determinism. It then extends this framework to contemporary findings on microstimulation of parietal cortex, speed–accuracy tradeoffs, and the dynamic weighting of prior probabilities over elapsed decision time. Beyond normative decision models, the article explores how genetic, neurochemical, and developmental factors associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may distort neural decision processes, leading to altered inference, aberrant salience, and impaired agency. The discussion is grounded in multi-level explanations of biological systems, emphasizing emergence, multiple realization, and the limits of reductionism. By integrating cognitive neuroscience with psychiatry, philosophy, and systems theory, this work argues that decision-making is not merely a computational operation but a biologically embedded, temporally extended, and ethically significant process. The article concludes by outlining implications for legal responsibility, mental health research, and future interdisciplinary models of the deciding brain.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Alejandro Martín-Rojas (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mental Mechanisms, Reductionism, and the Architecture of Mind–Brain Explanation: An Integrative Philosophical and Neuroscientific Analysis
The relationship between mind and brain remains one of the most enduring and contested issues in philosophy, neuroscience, and the biomedical sciences. Over the past century, increasingly sophisticated neuroscientific methods have transformed our understanding of neural structure and function, intensifying debates about reductionism, mechanistic explanation, and the ontological status of mental phenomena. This article offers a comprehensive and integrative analysis of mind–brain explanation by critically examining reductionist strategies, mechanistic models, and emergentist critiques as articulated in key philosophical and neuroscientific literature. Drawing on foundational work in logical positivism, psychoneural reduction, mechanistic explanation, and systems neuroscience, the paper explores how mental mechanisms are discovered, decomposed, localized, and interpreted within contemporary science. Particular attention is given to the neuron doctrine, molecular and cellular reductionism, and the role of higher-level cognitive and social explanations that resist simple neural identification. By engaging deeply with arguments from Bechtel, Bickle, Carnap, Anderson, Dennett, and others, the article demonstrates that while reductionist approaches have yielded powerful explanatory tools, they remain incomplete without an appreciation of organizational complexity, context sensitivity, and multi-level causation. The analysis further incorporates clinical perspectives on mental disorder, challenging the assumption that psychiatric phenomena can be exhaustively explained as brain disorders alone. The article concludes that a pluralistic, mechanistically informed, and non-eliminative framework offers the most promising path forward for understanding the mind–brain relationship, preserving scientific rigor while respecting the complexity of mental life.
Copyright (c) 2025 Arjun Malhotra (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mechanistic Explanation, Neural Noise, and the Philosophy of Decision-Making: Integrating Multilevel Neuroscience with Concepts of Agency and Freedom
The scientific and philosophical investigation of decision-making has undergone a profound transformation over the past several decades, driven by advances in neuroscience, computational modeling, and mechanistic explanation. Decision-making is no longer understood merely as a rational, abstract cognitive faculty, but as an embodied, neural process shaped by stochastic dynamics, multilevel mechanisms, evolutionary constraints, and philosophical interpretations of agency and freedom. This article develops an integrated theoretical framework for understanding perceptual and voluntary decision-making by synthesizing empirical neuroscience, computational theories, and philosophical analysis. Drawing strictly on the provided references, the article explores how neural noise, evidence accumulation, cortical microstimulation, and motor planning mechanisms interact to generate decisions, while also examining the implications of these findings for debates about free will, personal responsibility, and reductionism in the philosophy of mind. Mechanistic explanations are analyzed as a unifying framework capable of bridging levels of analysis, from neural circuits to behavior and normative concepts of personhood. Particular attention is paid to the tension between indeterminacy in neural processes and the coherence of agency, as well as the role of evolutionary and adaptive perspectives in shaping neural decision architectures. By elaborating each theoretical position in depth, addressing counterarguments, and examining unresolved conceptual challenges, this article argues that a mechanistic, probabilistic understanding of decision-making does not undermine agency but instead reframes it within a scientifically grounded model of the human person. The result is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary account that advances both neuroscience and philosophy by clarifying how decisions emerge from noisy neural systems while remaining intelligible within broader explanatory and normative frameworks.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Elias Verhoeven (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bioengineered Solutions for Skin Regeneration: Cultured Cells and Grafts
The integumentary system, primarily composed of the skin, serves as the largest organ of the human body, providing a critical barrier against external threats and maintaining internal homeostasis. Its complex structure, encompassing the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, is essential for vital physiological functions such as thermoregulation, sensory perception, and protection against pathogens and dehydration. Despite its remarkable regenerative capacity, extensive skin damage resulting from severe burns, chronic wounds, or traumatic injuries often overwhelms natural healing processes, necessitating advanced therapeutic interventions. Traditional skin grafting techniques, while effective in many scenarios, are frequently limited by donor site availability and potential complications. Recent advancements in cellular biology and tissue engineering have revolutionized the approach to skin regeneration, particularly through the development of sophisticated skin cell culture techniques. These methods enable the proliferation of specific dermal and epidermal cell types, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and various skin-derived stem cells, under controlled laboratory conditions. The ability to cultivate these cells in vitro provides a robust source of autologous or allogeneic tissue, thereby mitigating issues related to donor site morbidity and immune rejection. This cultivated tissue can then be engineered into functional skin substitutes or applied directly to wound beds, promoting enhanced healing and tissue integration. This article comprehensively reviews the foundational aspects of skin biology, delving into the intricate cellular and extracellular components that underpin its regenerative capabilities. It critically examines the evolution of skin cell culture methodologies, from early epidermal cultures to contemporary bioengineering strategies involving biomaterial scaffolds and growth factor modulation. Furthermore, the discussion extends to the vital role of skin grafts, exploring their various classifications, surgical procedures, and clinical applications. The integration of cell culture technologies with grafting techniques represents a promising frontier in regenerative medicine, offering innovative solutions for complex dermatological conditions and aiming to restore both the structural integrity and functional efficacy of damaged skin. This review highlights the current status, challenges, and future directions in harnessing skin cell culture and grafting for advanced regenerative therapies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Emeliora T. Vaskin, Dr. Jaedon R. Mirsal (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing Knowledge and Practice of Critical Care Checklists Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses
The management of critically ill patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) demands a high level of specialized knowledge and consistent application of best practices to ensure optimal patient outcomes and safety. Checklists have emerged as valuable tools in complex healthcare environments, designed to standardize care processes, minimize errors, and enhance communication among multidisciplinary teams. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of ICU staff nurses concerning a widely recognized critical care checklist mnemonic. A quantitative, non-experimental descriptive study design was employed, involving a sample of 90 ICU staff nurses. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire, an observational checklist, and a demographic variable sheet. The findings indicated that while a significant majority of nurses demonstrated a high level of adherence to the checklist in their practice, there was considerable variability in their underlying theoretical knowledge. Specifically, a substantial proportion exhibited only fair knowledge, with a smaller segment demonstrating poor or good knowledge. A notable association was identified between knowledge levels and specific demographic characteristics, particularly educational qualification, suggesting that formal nursing education plays a role in foundational understanding. Conversely, practice levels did not show a significant association with any demographic variables, implying that practical application might be influenced by factors beyond those explored. These results underscore the importance of targeted educational interventions and continuous professional development programs to bridge the knowledge-practice gap and reinforce the systematic application of critical care checklists. Enhancing nurses' knowledge base is crucial for fostering a deeper understanding of the rationale behind these practices, ultimately contributing to improved patient safety and quality of care in critical care settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Malika S. Triven, Dr. Arveena J. Koudel (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Restoring the Bond: How Different Saliva Clean-Up Methods Impact Composite Filling Repairs
This study set out to explore how different ways of cleaning up saliva from dental surfaces affect how strongly new composite fillings bond to old ones. We took 100 specially prepared composite discs, roughened them up by sandblasting, and then split them into 10 groups. These groups included a perfectly clean control, a group we contaminated with saliva but didn't clean, and eight groups where we tried various cleaning methods (like rinsing, rinsing and re-etching, rinsing and re-applying adhesive, just air-drying, rinsing and re-applying a primer/adhesive, rinsing with chlorhexidine, rinsing with ethanol, and a final group that was contaminated but not pre-treated). For the contaminated groups, we put artificial saliva on the surface before applying the adhesive and adding the new composite. Then, we measured how much force it took to break the bond (microshear bond strength) and looked at how the breaks happened. Our findings clearly showed that saliva contamination drastically weakened the bond strength (10.2±1.5 MPa) compared to our clean control group (28.5±2.1 MPa). But here's the good news: re-applying the universal adhesive after rinsing (Groups 5 and 7) was incredibly effective. These methods brought the bond strengths right back up (26.9±2.0 MPa and 27.2±2.2 MPa, respectively), making them almost as strong as the uncontaminated control. Rinsing and then re-etching with phosphoric acid (25.1±2.3 MPa) also significantly improved the bond. On the other hand, simple rinsing, just air-drying, or using chemical agents like chlorhexidine and ethanol weren't nearly as effective. When we looked at how the bonds broke, we saw that in the effectively cleaned groups, the breaks happened within the material itself, not just at the bond line, which is a sign of a strong connection. In short, saliva is a real problem for composite bonds, but a simple step like rinsing and re-applying the universal adhesive can be a game-changer for restoring that crucial strength.
Copyright (c) 2024 European Journal of Emerging Dental Research
Innovations in Intraoral Scanning: A Contemporary Review
Intraoral scanners (IOS) represent a monumental leap in digital dentistry, fundamentally transforming the process of capturing three-dimensional (3D) digital impressions of oral structures and largely superseding traditional impression techniques. This comprehensive review meticulously examines the latest advancements in IOS technology, highlighting their increasingly diverse and sophisticated applications across the full spectrum of dental disciplines. We delve deeply into the continuous improvements in accuracy, operational efficiency, and enhanced patient comfort that these devices offer. A significant focus is placed on the transformative integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within IOS platforms, which is enabling unprecedented levels of diagnostic precision, predictive treatment planning, and automated analysis. The article thoroughly explores the utility of IOS in foundational areas such as restorative dentistry, orthodontics, and implantology, while also extending its scope to highly specialized domains like cleft care and forensic odontology. Furthermore, it meticulously details the evolving capabilities of IOS in critical diagnostic functions, including early caries detection, precise tooth shade matching, and the quantitative monitoring of various oral health conditions, such as progressive tooth wear and subtle gingival recession. While acknowledging persistent challenges related to initial investment costs, the learning curve for practitioners, and limitations in certain complex clinical scenarios, the relentless evolution and refinement of IOS technology unequivocally promise a future for dental care that is not only more streamlined and predictable but also profoundly more patient-centric and technologically advanced.
Influence of Air-Powder Polishing on Human Enamel Surface Topography and Chromatic Alterations
Have you ever wondered what truly makes a smile shine, beyond just straight teeth? It's often the smooth, bright surface of our tooth enamel. This article dives into how a popular dental cleaning method, air-powder polishing, affects both how smooth our enamel stays and how long that sparkling white color lasts. We'll explore why a smooth surface is so important for keeping our mouths healthy and preventing stains, and how different types of polishing powders can make a big difference. Think of it as a journey into the microscopic world of your teeth, revealing how we can best care for that vital outer layer to keep your smile looking its best.
Impact of Custom-Designed vs. Standard Titanium Healing Abutments on Peri-Implant Tissue Health in Immediate Post-Extraction Implant Sites: A Systematic Review
This systematic review dives into the effectiveness of custom-designed healing abutments compared to standard titanium ones in helping the tissues around dental implants heal, especially when implants are placed right after a tooth is pulled. We searched major medical databases like PubMed and Cochrane up to May 2025 for studies that directly compared these two types of abutments in people. Our aim was to see how they influenced soft tissue changes, bone stability, esthetic outcomes, and even germ responses. What we found suggests that custom-made abutments tend to lead to better soft tissue results, including more stable tissue dimensions and a more natural-looking gum line. This seems to be because they're designed to perfectly guide the healing tissues, mimicking the original tooth's shape. While both types of abutments appear equally good for the implant to fuse with the bone, there wasn't a consistent, clear difference in how much bone was lost around the implant. Information on how these abutments affect bacteria was also quite limited. Despite the promising esthetic and soft tissue benefits, it's important to remember that the studies we looked at varied a lot in how they were done, which means we couldn't combine their data statistically. For clearer answers, future research really needs well-designed studies that follow consistent rules and track patients for longer periods.
An Audit of Publicly Accessible Dental Imaging Datasets for Artificial Intelligence Applications
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into dentistry holds the promise of revolutionizing diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient care. However, the development of robust, equitable, and unbiased AI models is critically dependent on the availability of large, diverse, and meticulously documented datasets. This article provides a comprehensive systematic review of the current state of publicly available dental image datasets intended for AI research. We conducted an extensive search across academic databases, data repositories, and AI challenge platforms to identify and evaluate existing datasets. The evaluation was based on the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) guiding principles, metadata completeness, and current best practices for responsible data documentation. Our findings reveal a significant scarcity of high-quality, large-scale dental imaging datasets, particularly when compared to other medical fields like radiology and ophthalmology. The 16 unique datasets identified are predominantly from a few countries, feature a limited number of imaging modalities, and focus heavily on tooth segmentation tasks. Crucially, many existing datasets lack standardized metadata, clear licensing, comprehensive documentation, and transparent reporting of ethical approval, which severely limits their utility and hampers the development of generalizable AI models (1, 21). Furthermore, issues of poor data sharing compliance and the high potential for inherent demographic and technical biases within these datasets present significant challenges to the field (3, 7). This review highlights the urgent need for a concerted, global effort within the dental community to create, curate, and share high-quality, ethically sourced, and openly accessible datasets. Establishing robust data infrastructure and mandating adherence to data documentation standards, such as data cards and the Croissant format, are essential steps to accelerate innovation and ensure the trustworthy and equitable development of AI in dentistry (2, 10, 12).
Exploring Natural Solutions: A Systematic Review of Herbal Products Versus Conventional Antifungal Medications for Oral Candidiasis
Oral candidiasis, a common fungal infection in the mouth, can be a real nuisance, and managing it has become trickier as antifungal medications face growing resistance. This systematic review dives deep into how well various plant-based remedies (phytotherapeutic agents) stack up against the usual antifungal drugs for treating oral candidiasis. We conducted a thorough search through scientific databases to find relevant studies, especially randomized controlled trials. We then carefully looked at the results, focusing on how well treatments cleared up infections, reduced symptoms, and what side effects people experienced. Our initial findings suggest that while traditional antifungals are still essential, a good number of herbal products show exciting promise. They might even offer alternative or additional ways to treat this infection, potentially helping us cut down on drug toxicity and the development of resistance. However, it's worth noting that many studies we looked at had some limitations in their design or reporting, meaning we need more robust, well-designed research to give truly definitive recommendations on bringing phytotherapy into standard oral candidiasis care.
An In Vitro Assessment of Chromatic Stability in Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer and A Bioactive Alkasite Restorative Material
Background: We all want our dental fillings to look good and last a long time, right? Well, this lab study was all about checking how well two common tooth-colored filling materials—a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) and a newer, "bioactive" material called Cention N—hold their color when exposed to everyday drinks that can cause stains. Materials and Methods: We made 60 small, disc-shaped samples (like tiny coins, 8mm wide and 2mm thick), half from RMGIC and half from Cention N. First, we took a baseline color reading for each using a special color-measuring device. Then, we split the samples into four groups (10 of each material per group). For 7 days, we soaked them in either plain distilled water (our control group), coffee, tea, or cola. After the soaking period, we took a final color reading and calculated how much the color had changed (ΔE). To figure out if the differences were significant, we used a statistical test called a two-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's HSD test (with a significance level of 0.05). Results: What we found was pretty clear: both the type of material and the type of drink significantly affected how much the color changed (P<0.001 for both). There was even a significant interaction, meaning how each material reacted to a drink was unique (P<0.001). Cention N consistently showed less color change (lower ΔE values) across all the staining drinks compared to RMGIC (P<0.01). Coffee was the biggest culprit for staining both materials, followed by tea, and then cola. RMGIC's color changes were noticeable (above the clinically acceptable threshold of 3.3) for all the staining drinks, but Cention N stayed below this threshold for cola. Conclusion: So, within the limits of our lab setup, Cention N proved to be better at keeping its color stable than RMGIC. The drinks we consume definitely play a big role in how much our fillings stain, with coffee being the worst offender. This suggests that Cention N might be a better choice for fillings if you're looking for longer-lasting esthetics, especially if you enjoy a lot of staining beverages.