Several researchers have signed an Open Letter, recently published in the Annals of Neurology, expressing concern over the use of DIY transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and its availability to the public. Given the increasing research interest in tDCS, it has become apparent that members of the public are gaining access to similar devices with the intention of applying the stimulation design of published studies.
In an article on Science Daily, Rachel Wurzman, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation at University of Pennsylvania states:
"Given the possibility that the improper use of our articles might cause harm, as a community we felt it necessary - an ethical obligation - to explain in a peer-reviewed journal why it is that we generally do not encourage do-it-yourself use of tDCS."
You can read the full article on Science Daily here. The original Open Letter can be accessed here in the latest edition of the Annals of Neurology, the official journal of the American Neurological Association and the Child Neurology Society.
Citation
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. (2016, July 7). Researchers caution public about hidden risks of self-administered brain stimulation: Scientists lead charge in warning 'Do-it-yourself' users of transcranial direct current stimulation seeking enhanced brain function of potential unintended results. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 30, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160707142548.html
Journal Reference
Rachel Wurzman, Roy H. Hamilton, Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Michael D. Fox. An open letter concerning do-it-yourself users of transcranial direct current stimulation. Annals of Neurology, 2016; 80 (1): 1 DOI:10.1002/ana.24689
