Lakhan Shaheen E
Medical Office, Click Therapeutics, Inc., New York, USA.
Department of Neurology, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Jun 4;17(6):e85330. doi: 10.7759/cureus.85330. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Do-it-yourself (DIY) brain hacking has evolved from fringe experimentation to a cultural and clinical phenomenon reshaping how individuals interact with their brains. From early self-directed use of racetam nootropics, at-home transcranial direct current stimulation, and meditation apps, to the normalization of microdosing psychedelics, this movement reflects a broader shift toward brain self-optimization. What began as grassroots experimentation now informs regulated interventions. For example, consumer-grade cognitive training tools and neurofeedback devices have inspired FDA-cleared prescription digital therapeutics for conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and migraine. Similarly, informal mood tracking and exposure-based journaling practices have evolved into structured cognitive behavioral therapy apps and biosensor-informed just-in-time adaptive interventions. This editorial traces the trajectory of DIY brain hacking across three phases (experimental enthusiasts, consumer biohackers, and clinical convergence) and argues that medicine must shift from skepticism to stewardship. As programmable cognition becomes a clinical reality, and drawing on parallels with other organ systems, guiding this transformation with evidence and ethics is essential to safeguard patient autonomy, efficacy, and safety.
自己动手（DIY）的大脑黑客行为已从边缘实验发展成为一种文化和临床现象，正在重塑个人与大脑互动的方式。从早期自行使用促智药、在家进行经颅直流电刺激以及使用冥想应用程序，到微剂量使用迷幻药的常态化，这一运动反映了朝着大脑自我优化的更广泛转变。最初作为草根实验的行为如今为规范干预提供了依据。例如，消费级认知训练工具和神经反馈设备激发了美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）批准的针对注意力缺陷多动障碍、抑郁症和偏头痛等病症的处方数字疗法。同样，非正式的情绪追踪和基于暴露的日记记录做法已演变成结构化的认知行为疗法应用程序和生物传感器辅助的即时自适应干预措施。这篇社论追溯了DIY大脑黑客行为在三个阶段（实验爱好者、消费者生物黑客和临床融合）的发展轨迹，并认为医学必须从怀疑转向管理。随着可编程认知成为临床现实，借鉴其他器官系统的情况，以证据和伦理指导这一转变对于保障患者的自主性、疗效和安全至关重要。
