Important insights on the growing home use of tDCS brain stimulation: older-than-expected users, positive self-reported results for treatment of depression but negative for self-enhancement, and a couple areas of concern (severe burns, frequency)

This study provides the largest and most comprehensive survey to-date of users of consumer tDCS devices. Obtaining a deeper knowledge of what drives home users—to purchase and use a consumer tDCS device (or for many, to cease to use it)—has important implications, both for ongoing debates about the ethical implications of the home use of tDCS, as well as for discussions of the regulation of direct-to-consumer neurotechnology. Thus, the present study not only provides an empirical foundation on which to base policy recommendations, but also offers a concrete, empirical perspective on a debate that has too-often been one step removed from reality. The Study in Context Study: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can reduce fatigue in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Consumers experiment with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with no regulatory oversight Neurotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance our lives if it preserves our 1) privacy, 2) identity, 3) agency and 4) equality, researchers say Presentation by Anna Wexler and others at the 2017 SharpBrains Virtual Summit:
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Health & Wellness Technology brain-stimulation Consumer neurotechnology Direct-to-consumer neuroscience do it yourself Neuroethics non-invasive tDCS Transcranial-direct-current-stimulation Source Type: blogs