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UBC Researchers: why the brain loses capacity to re-grow connections
- extension 17y agoDrugs that could promote neural plasticity could potentially treat a wide range of neurological disorders, as well as boost the effects of other treatments under investigation. Just for once, I'd like to hear one of these things say that the discovery could lead to mind blowing lifestyle drugs for everybody. Has it really become so politically incorrect to suggest that we might use science to enhance our lives instead of just helping sick people, or is it just lack of imagination?
- edmccaffrey 17y agoI'd be weary of any brain drug described as "mind blowing."
- ramidarigaz 17y agoI believe it's spelled 'wary'. Good point though.
- edmccaffrey 17y agoI suppose that I could use some of those drugs.
- dejb 17y agoOK so you didn't mean you were 'weary' of mind blowing drugs then.
- psyklic 17y agoThe problem with drugs are their side effects. It's not ethical to allow human experiments when the only positive of a drug is "it's fun."
- xiaoma 17y agoFun almost certainly isn't the only positive that comes with restoring one's neural plasticity in old age.
- jamesbritt 17y ago'It's not ethical to allow human experiments when the only positive of a drug is "it's fun."' Not even if all parties (ha ha) involved are aware of the purpose of the drug and agree to the experiment anyway? Fun is a legit ambition.
- psyklic 17y agoI highly doubt it would ever pass a medical ethics review board, and these are necessary for the FDA to approve it for commercial sale. They look at whether the pros outweigh the potential cons. If the only pro is "fun", this is unlikely to happen. But philosophically, I agree with you haha :(
- dejb 17y agoYes. I thought there was something in the US constitution about it.
- anamax 17y agoNope - the declaration of independence. The DofI was part of the revolution, which led to the articles of confederacy. They were later abandoned in favor of the US constitution. For what it's worth, pretty much every bad thing predicted by the opponents of the US constitution came true.
- tokenadult 17y agoOne thing to watch out for would be whether or not such drugs would induce mania, as some antidepressants do.
- dejb 17y agoSo it sounds like if you want to increase the level of growth of new neural connection you would risk losing some (many) of the old ones have have formed. That would be an interesting tradeoff. Definitely somewhere to tread lightly.