Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company, Neuralink, has moved to validate its controversial brain-implant technology in the scientific arena by submitting its first human study to the New England Journal of Medicine for peer review.
The company’s study was recently submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine, in a paper that deconstructs the overall results of the first three Neuralink patients implanted with Neuralink’s BCI, known as “The Link,” as well as the specific safety outcomes.
If the paper is approved for publication, it would mark Neuralink’s first peer-reviewed paper, which could open the door to scrutiny from many other independent scientists, corporate scientists, and healthcare-related scientists who will examine the company’s efforts. Bloomberg first reported the study’s submission to the journal.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink is part of the growing BCI sector, alongside companies that include Synchron, led by CEO Tom Oxley, and Precision Neuroscience, led by Ben Rapoport.
Experts say the peer-review process will be a defining moment for Neuralink, as this type of data could help bolster confidence in its technology and could mark a critical turning point in the field.
Neuralink’s recent journal submission was revealed by Michael Lawton, the president and CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute, a clinical trial partner of Neuralink, while speaking at the second annual BCI New York Brain Computer Interface (NYBCI) Symposium hosted by the Mount Sinai Health System in New York.
“They’ve been very meticulous about focusing on diseased patients with disability,” Lawton said, while noting that a broader application for the device remains “a long way” from becoming available.
Why it Matters
Neuralink’s submission of human clinical data to a leading medical journal marks a significant milestone in advancing the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). From an international and European perspective, this move has the potential to strengthen global collaboration, foster independent validation, and accelerate BCI research and clinical adoption across borders.
Companies attending the BCI New York Brain Computer Interface (NYBCI) Symposium included Matt Angle, PhD, co-founder of Paradromics, Tom Oxley, Ph.D., of Synchron, Benjamin Rapoport, M.D., the CEO of Precision Neuroscience, Florian Solzbacher, Ph.D., co-founder of Blackrock Neurotech, among others.
Representatives from various advocacy groups also attended, including Ian Burkhart, founder of the BCI Pioneers Coalition, with over 60 speakers presenting at the event.
Also in attendance at the event were representatives of CorTec Neuro, the first BCI company to launch in Germany.
“We don’t know yet what data Neuralink is publishing exactly,” said Dr. Martin Schüttler, the CTO, co-founder, and managing director of CorTec Neuro, in an email to The Debrief.
Schüttler said the broader outlook in terms of the international impact of new peer-reviewed information on BCI developments remains to be seen, adding that it “might be when fast movers (China) see data and consider similar approaches.”
“Any data will be helpful in evaluating [Neuralink’s] novel approach towards human brain interfacing,” Schüttler said, “including signal quality over time, bioacceptance, and decoding performance, among others.”
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com.