NeuroEthics and the BRAIN Initiative: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?

From its inception, the NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, an ambitious project focused on understanding the human brain, has made a concerted effort to integrate neuroethics into its science. In the past five years, the BRAIN Initiative has given rise to powerful tools and neurotechnologies capable of probing deeply into the brain circuits in animal models. As these tools mature and move to human applications they will raise a host of important neuroethical considerations not just for the medical community but for society as a whole. Now marks a pivotal moment to assess the status and consider the future of the BRAIN Initiative's neuroethics efforts. Here we describe core issues of neuroscience advances, the state of neurotechnologies in human neuroscience, and how ethics will be incorporated into the BRAIN Initiative as this ten-year project enters its second phase. BRAIN Initiative neurotechnologies have immense potential to transform the way we diagnose and treat neurological disease; therefore, they may become more commonplace in research, medicine, and society. We also discuss future global efforts to ensure continued guidance and open dialogue surrounding neuroethics.