Computational neuroscience is rapidly advancing our ability to model brain function, decode behavior, and develop neurotechnologies. While these breakthroughs offer exciting possibilities in medicine and AI, they also raise critical ethical concerns. Issues such as mental privacy, informed consent, data security, and the merging of human and machine cognition demand careful consideration. As brain-computer interfaces and neural simulations become more powerful, the ethical frameworks guiding their use must keep pace.
As computational neuroscience continues to grow, the ethical challenges it presents are becoming more urgent and complex. Advances in brain modeling, neural decoding, and brain-computer interfaces are pushing the boundaries of what we can infer, predict, and manipulate in terms of mental states and behavior. This raises pressing questions around mental privacy, consent, autonomy, data ownership, and the potential for misuse in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence with neural data blurs the lines between human and machine cognition, prompting concerns about responsibility, identity, and societal impact. Despite the rapid pace of technological progress, ethical frameworks and policies have not always kept pace with innovation. To ensure responsible development and application, there is a need for proactive ethical analysis, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and the establishment of guiding principles.
This Research Topic aims to explore and address these challenges. We welcome contributions examining ethical implications of computational models, neurotechnologies, brain data use, and AI integration. Discussions on regulation, public trust, and long-term societal impact are also encouraged. The goal is to foster responsible innovation and ensure that ethical considerations are integral to the future of computational neuroscience.
This Research Topic welcomes research focused on the ethical dimensions of computational neuroscience. We invite contributions that explore themes such as mental privacy, informed consent, data ownership, algorithmic bias, and the ethical use of brain-computer interfaces and neural decoding technologies. Submissions may also address the societal implications of integrating artificial intelligence with brain data, as well as regulatory and governance challenges in neurotechnology research and applications. We are particularly interested in papers that offer ethical frameworks, case studies, or policy recommendations to guide responsible innovation. Manuscripts that engage philosophical, legal, or cultural perspectives alongside neuroscience and technology are strongly encouraged. The goal is to foster critical dialogue and outline best practices for addressing the ethical challenges emerging in this rapidly evolving field.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Conceptual Analysis
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
