As artificial intelligence (AI) elevates the economic and strategic value of data, governments are intensifying efforts to regulate the collection, use and cross-border transfer of personal information. Data are increasingly treated as national assets, subject to legal, economic and geopolitical controls. These shifts are reshaping scientific research, particularly in neuroscience and brain health, where progress depends on access to large, diverse and internationally distributed datasets.
In parallel, advances in neuroimaging, neurotechnology and computational modeling are enabling population-scale neuroscience and the generation of AI-ready brain datasets. These developments further increase the strategic importance of neural data, amplifying both their scientific value and their governance complexity. The convergence of these trends exposes a fundamental tension between the need for an open science culture and data sovereignty.
Without coordinated responses, these dynamics risk limiting representation, slowing innovation and reinforcing global inequities in brain health research. Here we argue that neuroscience requires an international data governance coordinating body capable of aligning research and regulatory priorities. In addition to outlining the distinct challenges posed by neural data, we propose strategies to support secure, equitable and sustainable global collaboration, as well as practical governance instruments to enable coordinated implementation across jurisdictions.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription Receive 12 print issues and online access Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Sadeh, Y., Denejkina, A., Karyotaki, E., Lenferink, L. Opportunities for improving data sharing and FAIR data practices to advance global mental health. Health (Camb.) 10, e14 (2023).
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Yuste, R. Advocating for neurodata privacy and neurotechnology regulation. Protoc. 18, 2869–2875 (2023).
Bovenberg, J., Peloquin, D., Bierer, B., Barnes, M. & Knoppers, B. How to fix the GDPR’s frustration of global biomedical research. Science 370, 40–42 (2020).
Extract — continue reading at the source.
