Atkinson-Clement Cyril, Junor Andrea, Kaiser Marcus
Precision Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 15;15(1):5584. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-89437-8.
The development of neurotechnologies offers exciting opportunities for novel brain interventions. Public perception plays a crucial role in determining the success and acceptance of these interventions. This study aimed to understand the general non-expert population's representation of neuromodulation and their preferences for common methods such as pharmaceutical drugs, brain implants, ultrasound, magnetic, and electrical stimulations. We conducted a comprehensive online survey with 784 participants to assess their perception of neuromodulation before and after providing information. We also asked the participants to rank their preferences for different neuromodulation techniques after being provided with information. Statistical analyses included inferential non-linear models and free-text data mining. Our findings revealed that overall, neuromodulation was positively perceived by the participants. Furthermore, providing information resulted in a significant improvement in participants' perception of neuromodulation. Ultrasound stimulation emerged as the most preferred treatment choice, while pharmaceutical drugs were considered a middle-choice option and brain implants ranked last due to safety concerns. Healthcare providers could benefit from enhancing patient education and awareness to promote informed decision-making and improve treatment adherence. Additionally, stakeholders have to address the existing distrust surrounding pharmaceutical drugs and prioritize the development and promotion of safe, non-invasive neuromodulation treatments.
神经技术的发展为新型脑干预提供了令人兴奋的机会。公众认知在决定这些干预措施的成功与接受程度方面起着至关重要的作用。本研究旨在了解普通非专业人群对神经调节的认知以及他们对诸如药物、脑植入物、超声、磁刺激和电刺激等常见方法的偏好。我们对784名参与者进行了一项全面的在线调查,以评估他们在获取信息前后对神经调节的认知。我们还要求参与者在获取信息后对不同神经调节技术的偏好进行排序。统计分析包括推断性非线性模型和自由文本数据挖掘。我们的研究结果显示,总体而言,参与者对神经调节持积极看法。此外,提供信息使参与者对神经调节的认知有了显著改善。超声刺激成为最受欢迎的治疗选择,而药物被视为中等选择,由于安全担忧,脑植入物排名最后。医疗保健提供者可通过加强患者教育和提高认识来促进明智决策并改善治疗依从性,从而从中受益。此外,利益相关者必须解决围绕药物的现有不信任问题,并优先发展和推广安全、无创的神经调节治疗方法。
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