Field examining moral, legal, and social issues of neurotechnology.
General
Neuroimaging
Techniques that visualize the structure or function of the nervous system, typically using MRI, CT, PET, MEG, or optical methods.
Neuroimaging
Neuroinformatics platform
Software environment for storing, organizing, and analyzing large neuro-related datasets.
Tools and Infrastructure
Neuromodulation
Therapeutic alteration of nervous system activity by delivering targeted electrical, magnetic, ultrasound, or chemical stimuli.
Neuromodulation
Neuromodulatory dose shaping
Fine-tuning stimulation waveforms and schedules to personalize neuromodulation effects.
Neuromodulation
Neuromodulatory network
The distributed set of brain regions and pathways influenced by a specific neuromodulation target.
Neuromodulation
Neuromorphic chip
Specialized processor designed around spiking neural networks and event-driven computation, used for edge AI and brain-inspired systems.
General
Neuromorphic computing
Hardware and software architectures that mimic the structure and dynamics of biological neurons and synapses to achieve ultra–low-power, parallel computation.
General
Neuronavigation
Use of imaging and tracking systems to guide non-invasive stimulation to specific brain regions.
Neuromodulation
Neuroplasticity
The nervous system’s ability to change structure or function in response to experience or stimulation.
Neuromodulation
Neuroprosthesis
Device that replaces or restores neural function.
General
Neurorights
Proposed rights protecting mental privacy, identity, and agency in neurotech contexts.
General
Neurostimulation
The use of energy (usually electrical or magnetic) to stimulate neural tissue for therapeutic or research purposes.
Neuromodulation
Neurotechnology
Broad field developing tools to measure, modulate, or emulate neural function.
General
Neurovascular coupling
The relationship between neural activity and local changes in blood flow that underlies the BOLD signal.
Neuroimaging
Nociceptive threshold modulation
Using neuromodulation to alter the minimum intensity at which pain is perceived.
Neuromodulation
Non-invasive BCI
BCIs recording brain activity from outside the skull, typically with EEG.
Brain-Computer Interface
Non-significant risk (NSR) device
Device considered minimal risk, allowing simplified regulatory requirements.
General
Nyquist frequency
Half the sampling rate
Tools and Infrastructure
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
A condition characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).
Cognitive and Mental Health
Off-label use (neuromodulation)
Clinical use of a stimulation device for an indication or protocol not explicitly covered by its regulatory label.
Neuromodulation
Off-target effects (OTEs)
Unintended stimulation of nearby or connected structures leading to side effects.
Neuromodulation
On-device inference
Deploying trained models directly on hardware (e.g., wearables, implants, phones) for low-latency predictions.
Tools and Infrastructure
Online decoding
Real-time decoding of neural signals for continuous control.
Brain-Computer Interface
Online learning (BCI)
Updating decoding models during live use so performance improves as more data are collected.
Brain-Computer Interface
Open-loop BCI
A BCI that produces outputs from neural signals without real-time adaptation.
Brain-Computer Interface
Open-loop neuromodulation
Stimulation delivered according to a pre-set schedule or pattern, independent of real-time neural or behavioral feedback.
Neuromodulation
Open-loop system
A system delivering fixed outputs without feedback.
General
Operational validation
Ensuring systems work reliably across real-world workflows, environments, and users.
General
Optical topography
fNIRS-based mapping of cortical hemodynamics across multiple channels on the scalp.
Neuroimaging
Optogenetics
Modulating neural activity using light-sensitive ion channels expressed in neurons.
General
Optrode
Combined optical fiber and electrode enabling simultaneous stimulation and neural recording.
Brain-Computer Interface
Organoid intelligence (OI)
The concept of using brain organoids as computational substrates capable of learning, adaptation, and information processing.
General
P300 (P3)
An ERP component occurring ~300 ms after a target stimulus, used for communication BCIs.
Brain-Computer Interface
PHQ-9
A 9-item questionnaire commonly used to screen for and monitor depression severity.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Paddle lead
A flat, paddle-shaped spinal cord stimulation lead offering precise placement and contact orientation.
Neuromodulation
Parameter space
The full range of possible stimulation settings (intensity, frequency, pulse width, etc.) that can be explored.
Neuromodulation
Parcellation
Dividing the brain into discrete regions based on anatomy, function, or connectivity.
Neuroimaging
Partial volume effect
Blurring that occurs when a voxel contains multiple tissue types, reducing specificity.
Neuroimaging
Passive BCI
BCIs that infer internal states like attention or workload without requiring explicit commands.
Brain-Computer Interface
Patient-reported outcome (PRO)
Any health or symptom measure directly reported by the patient without clinician interpretation.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)
Targeted stimulation of peripheral nerves to relieve pain or restore function.
Neuromodulation
Permutation testing (neuroimaging)
Non-parametric significance testing that builds a null distribution by randomly shuffling labels or data.
Neuroimaging
Phase-amplitude coupling (PAC)
A cross-frequency interaction where the phase of a slower rhythm modulates the amplitude of a faster rhythm.
Brain-Computer Interface
Phase-locked stimulation
Stimulation that is timed to a specific phase of an oscillation or rhythm.
Neuromodulation
Phase-locking value (PLV)
A measure of how consistently the phase difference between two signals is maintained over time or trials.
Neuroimaging
Photoplethysmography (PPG)
Optical measurement of blood volume changes, used to estimate heart rate and vascular dynamics.
Tools and Infrastructure
Physiological artifact
Undesired signal sources like heartbeat, blink, or respiration noise.
General
Physiological noise
Variability in imaging signals caused by breathing, heartbeat, or vascular pulsation.
Neuroimaging
Place cell
Hippocampal neuron that fires when an organism occupies a specific location.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Population coding
Representation of information by collective activity across neural populations.
Brain-Computer Interface
Population vector decoding
Method that combines activity from many tuned neurons to estimate movement direction or other variables.
Brain-Computer Interface
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Imaging technique using radiotracers to measure metabolism, receptors, or protein deposition in the brain.
Neuroimaging
Post-market surveillance
Ongoing monitoring of device performance and safety after regulatory approval.
General
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A disorder following trauma, with intrusive memories, avoidance, hyperarousal, and mood changes.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Precision psychiatry
Approach that tailors diagnosis and treatment using biomarkers, digital data, and individual profiles.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Predictive biomarker
A biomarker that indicates the likelihood that a patient will respond to a specific treatment.
General
Premarket Approval (PMA)
FDA’s strictest device approval pathway requiring demonstration of safety and efficacy.
General
Preprocessing (neuroimaging)
Standard pipeline steps (e.g., motion correction, normalization) applied before statistical analysis.
Neuroimaging
Privacy-preserving analytics
Methods enabling data analysis without exposing identifiable information.
General
Processing speed
The rate at which a person can perceive, interpret, and respond to information.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Product-market fit (neurotech)
The degree to which a neurotech solution addresses a clear, validated user or clinical need.
General
Prognostic biomarker
A biomarker that provides information about the likely course or outcome of a disease independent of treatment.
General
Programmer (neuromodulation)
External device used to adjust stimulation parameters in implanted systems.
Neuromodulation
Prosthetic control BCI
BCIs driving robotic limbs or devices to restore reaching or grasping.
Brain-Computer Interface
Pseudonymization
Replacing identifiers with codes so data can be linked across records without revealing identity.
Tools and Infrastructure
Psychiatric disorder
A clinically significant disturbance in thinking, emotion, or behavior associated with distress or impairment.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Psychometrics
The field concerned with measuring psychological constructs and evaluating reliability and validity.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Psychosis
A state involving loss of contact with reality, often featuring hallucinations or delusions.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Pulse train modulation
Adjusting timing and pattern of stimulation pulses to alter neural responsiveness and clinical effects.
Neuromodulation
Pulse width
Duration of each stimulation pulse, a key parameter for nerve and tissue recruitment.
Neuromodulation
Pulsed ultrasound
Ultrasound delivered in pulses rather than continuously, often used for neuromodulatory effects.
Neuromodulation
Pupillometry
Measurement of pupil diameter changes reflecting cognitive load, arousal, or autonomic activity.
Cognitive and Mental Health
Quadripolar lead
A stimulation lead with four electrode contacts for increased flexibility.
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