Neuroscience and “Neurointerventions”: Ethical and Legal Issues

“Neuroscience” is the modern term for the study of the brain and the nervous system, but attempting to explain what the brain does has occupied scholars for centuries. While neuroscience can aid in providing information about how the brain works, understanding how things can go wrong in brain function and how to address perceived impairments remain elusive. This chapter considers some of the ethical issues raised by the burgeoning industry of “neurointerventions,” with a focus on brain-computer interfaces and brain stimulation and modification techniques. It argues that legal regulation may go some way toward alleviating ethical concerns about consent and autonomy. However, putting too much faith in neurointerventions as a cure for mental impairments ignores the importance of the social determinants associated with good and poor mental health and may serve to reinforce discrimination.