Grant: Team Grant: European Research Projects of Neuroscience

Nerve cells communicate via electrical processes. Therefore, these can also be influenced by electrical or magnetic impulses or by other physical stimuli (e.g. ultrasound and lights). Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) uses this ability. The most commonly used methods are repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). In recent years, these very effective instruments have been approved in numerous countries for the treatment of various diseases. In this context, the scientific community has developed safety guidelines for the treatment of patients. However, in recent years, in addition to clinical research, a large market has developed in which people buy devices for cognitive enhancement or for selftreatment of neuropsychiatric conditions, and use them at home without medical supervision. This development, inter alia, raises questions that are currently difficult for researchers and governments to answer as the extend beyond their respective communities to larger spectrum of society. For example, where exactly is the border between enhancement (when NIBS is used to perform better in a given task or sport) or recreational (when NIBS is used because itself produces pleasure, e.g. lucid dreaming) and treatment (when NIBS is used to correct a given disease or to ameliorate symptoms)? Should the procedures also be used to treat children? In order to address questions like this in a reflective manner, this project aims to develop a participatory code of conduct for NIBS. To this end, actors from various scientific disciplines, society, business and governments will be involved. The involvement of laypersons and various expert perspectives will provide scientists with a tool to reflect on their own research and governments will be able to use the Code of Conduct for NIBS to create long-term guidelines that are valid EU-wide.