**Published** : 11/03/2025 **Last edited** : 11/03/2025 --- ### **Definition** **Personal brain data** : data relating to the functioning or structure of the human brain of an identified or identifiable individual that includes unique information about their physiology, health, or mental states.[^1] **Neural data** are **qualitative** and **quantitative** data about the **structure**, **activity** and **function** of the **nervous system**. They encompass data relating to a nervous system’s **activity**, including both **direct** measurements of neuronal structure, activity and/or function (i.e., neuronal firing or averaged bioelectric signals from EEG) and **indirect** functional indicators (i.e., blood flow in fMRI and fNIRS). At the neurobiological level, neural data are the most direct correlates of mental states.[^2] ### **Illustration** ```mermaid flowchart TD A[Neural Data] --> B[Qualitative Data] ; A --> C[Quantitative Data] ; B --> D[Structure of Nervous System] ; C --> E[Activity of Nervous System] ; C --> F[Function of Nervous System] ; E --> G[Direct Measurements] ; E --> H[Indirect Indicators] ; G --> I[Neuronal Structure, Activity, Function] ; I --> J[Examples: Neuronal Firing, EEG Signals] ; H --> K[Examples: Blood Flow in fMRI, fNIRS] ; F --> L[Mental States Correlation] ; ``` --- ### **Source**s [^1]: Recommendation of the Council on OECD Legal Instruments Responsible Innovation in Neurotechnology ([[2019 - OECD]]) [^2]: First draft of the recommendation on the ethics of neurotechnology ([[2024 - UNESCO]])