Australians have helped put a new mark on the scale of ‘Things-You-Shouldn’t-Need-Scientists-To-Tell-You’.

Thirty-nine international experts, including Australians, have issued a statement warning of the dangers of do-it-yourself trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatments.

Yes – some of our top minds say it is unwise to electrify your own brain.

Research suggests that tCDS - the application of current to the brain - may enhance cognition and reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other conditions.

While tDCS devices can be built with simple tools, experts are cautioning do-it-yourself users that there may be hidden risks.

In their Annals of Neurology editorial, some of the world’s leading clinicians and scientists point out that stimulation affects more of the brain than a user may think.

This could lead to altered brain functions that are unintended, potentially improving the ability to perform one task while hurting the ability to perform another.

Additionally, small changes in tDCS settings can have large and unexpected effects that may be long-lasting, and tDCS effects are highly variable across different people.

“Scientific papers can give the impression that tDCS has clear benefits with no side effects, motivating do-it-yourself use. However the authors of these scientific papers generally do not encourage this. With do-it yourself tDCS on the rise, we thought it was time to outline why” said senior author Dr Michael D Fox.

The Annals of Neurology article is accessible here.