3. ABABT - Science summary

ABABT: Science summary of neuroscience research ORIGINAL:

When a clinical trial of a pharmaceutical fails, participants usually move on by ceasing to take the drug. But it’s not that simple for some people who took part in a trial of a bold, experimental treatment for people with severe depression. The BROADEN trial, which implanted metal electrodes deep in the brain in a region called area 25, failed early on to show a statistically significant effect on depression and was halted after just 90 participants were treated. Yet 44 of those patients want to keep their implants. Last month, researchers at a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, discussed the ethical issues that such scenarios raise, such as who is responsible for overseeing—and paying for—long-term care when participants want to keep their implants?

FORMAT-CODED:

When a clinical trial of a pharmaceutical fails, participants usually move on by ceasing to take the drug. But it’s not that simple for some people who took part in a trial of a bold, experimental treatment for people with severe depression. The BROADEN trial, which implanted metal electrodes deep in the brain in a region called area 25, failed early on to show a statistically significant effect on depression and was halted after just 90 participants were treated. Yet 44 of those patients want to keep their implants. Last month, researchers at a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, discussed the ethical issues that such scenarios raise, such as who is responsible for overseeing—and paying for—long-term care when participants want to keep their implants?

COMMENTARY:

Look at the basic structure of this summary — it’s ABABT. It presents two overall statements — the general first (AB) which sets up the general, big picture context of the research, followed by the specific project (ABT). This is a common and effective structure — much like the MLK, Jr. “I Have A Dream” speech in which the first paragraph lays out the overall narrative before going into detail with the speech.