Ethics of Brain Stimulation
Recent research in Oxford and elsewhere has shown stimulating the brain with an electrical current boosts performance on cognitive tasks, such as language and maths, memory, problem solving, etc
Early results of 'transcranial direct current stimulation' have prompted neuroscientists to collaborate with leading ethicists to consider the potential neuroethical issues the new technology could raise. The research, published as a short paper in Current Biology (view pdf), was conducted by Roi Cohen Kadosh, Neil Levy, Jacinta O’Shea, Nicholas Shea, and Julian Savulescu.
Related media:
University of Oxford Science Blog
http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/science_blog/brainboosting.html
Practical Ethics blog post (including comments by Julian Savulescu)
http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2012/01/trancranial-direct-current-stimulation-fundamental-enhancement-for-humanity/
The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9040654/Electric-shock-treatment-improves-academic-performance.html
BBC Radio 4 Today Programme
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9687000/9687032.stm
BBC News online
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16739645
Current Biology website
http://www.cell.com/current-biology