Neurohackers seek to better themselves or others by “hacking the brain” to improve reflexes, learn faster, or treat psychological disorders.
[6] Neurohackers use a class of chemical substances that improve higher order brain functions called nootropics.
[8] The 2000 study by Michael A. Nitsche and Walter Paulus at the University of Goettingen is considered to be one of the first device-oriented attempts at influencing the brain non-invasively.
The study found that the motor cortex of the brain responds to weak electrical stimuli in the form of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
However, these methods of neurohacking have yet to gain widespread acceptance from the general public, and user retention rate for the devices remains low.
[1][10] In 2018, Marom Bikson and his colleagues at the City College of New York released a report to aid consumers in making an informed choice regarding the purchase of tDCS devices.
[10] In particular, Bikson stated that the report hoped to educate consumers on the reasons why a significant price differentiation existed across the various devices on the market.
There are three main categories of neurohacking methods: oral supplements or ingestibles, procedural training exercises, and the transmission of electrical currents through the brain.
[15] Few studies have been conducted regarding the safety and long-term effects of prescribing these herbal supplements as a means of mitigating age-related cognitive decline.
Companies such as PositScience, Lumosity, and CogniFit created video games designed to improve the user’s brain function.
[20][21] TMS sends short bursts of magnetic energy to the left frontal cortex through a small electromagnetic coil.
[27] DBS has also been used to treat Tourette syndrome,[5] dyskinesia[28] epilepsy[29] and depression,[30] although more research is needed in these areas before it can be deemed safe.
[34] In July 2019, Neuralink – a company developing implantable brain-machine interfaces – presented their research on their high bandwidth BMI.
Neuralink claims to have developed an implantable BMI device that is capable of recording and delivering full bandwidth data from the brain.
[35] The neurohacking trend has been heavily commercialized, with companies such as Lumosity and CogniFit marketing games that allegedly optimize the performances of the brain as well as alleviate the symptoms of senescence-related cognitive decline and other neurodegenerative disorders.
[36] The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed claims against some companies producing brain training software for misleading marketing.
[41] Studies have indicated that neurohacking can improve memory, creativity, learning speed, muscle gain, and athletic performance.
[41] Most manufacturers fail to disclose the potential side effects of neurohacking devices, including significant changes to the user’s self-identity and decreased reasoning skills.
[43][41] Affordable neurohacking devices are available online with prices ranging from $99 to $800, making them easily accessible to consumers.
[41] The Vercise DBS System produced by Boston Scientific Corporation is the only neurohacking medical device for sale that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and Good Practices in Clinical Research.