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Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

theatlantic.com

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Re: Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

#4

Post by revelation »

Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor, meaning it increases the amount of acetylcholine circulating around nerve endings.

They just casually put that there, but I don't think most readers will be exactly familiar with what that means? It's basically raising the baselevel of what is one of the most common neurotransmitters. It's a carpet-bomb, not the targeted strike the article makes it out to be.

Re: Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

#6

Post by jimmar »

patriciawright wrote: post #2

I'm always amazed how we don't look at our diets before resorting to drugs to treat conditions. What you eat has the largest effect on your brain chemistry.

For amblyopia (lazy eye) mentioned in the article, diet doesn't do anything. Diet doesn't do much for neurodegenerative disorders, either. Today, when you get alzheimer's, it only gets worse. You can't eat a lot of blueberries and suddenly regain brain function.

I thought the article was good. It didn't overhype any expectations of the drugs being tested. The research appears to be proceeding cautiously, but optimistically.

Re: Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

#7

Post by patriciawright »

jimmar wrote: post #6
patriciawright wrote: post #2

I'm always amazed how we don't look at our diets before resorting to drugs to treat conditions. What you eat has the largest effect on your brain chemistry.

For amblyopia (lazy eye) mentioned in the article, diet doesn't do anything. Diet doesn't do much for neurodegenerative disorders, either. Today, when you get alzheimer's, it only gets worse. You can't eat a lot of blueberries and suddenly regain brain function. I thought the article was good. It didn't overhype any expectations of the drugs being tested. The research appears to be proceeding cautiously, but optimist…

It's not about eating a lot of fruits to suddenly regain brain function.

Take a look at the research on how the average diet of carbs and process foods affects our body. A ketogenic diet has shown to increase brain function in a recent study. I'll try to find it and post here.

Re: Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

#9

Post by derefr »

revelation wrote: post #4

Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor, meaning it increases the amount of acetylcholine circulating around nerve endings. They just casually put that there, but I don't think most readers will be exactly familiar with what that means? It's basically raising the baselevel of what is one of the most common neurotransmitters. It's a carpet-bomb, not the targeted strike the article makes it out to be.

If I recall, isn't caffeine (effectively) an cholinesterase inhibitor?

Re: Toward a Pill That Helps Us Learn as Fast as Kids

#10

Post by Nursie »

patriciawright wrote: post #7
jimmar wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For amblyopia (lazy eye) mentioned in the article, diet doesn't do anything. Diet doesn't do much for neurodegenerative disorders, either. Today, when you get alzheimer's, it only gets worse. You can't eat a lot of blueberries and suddenly regain brain function. I thought the article was good. It didn't overhype any expectations of the drugs being tested. The research appears to be proceeding cautiously, but optimist…

It's not about eating a lot of fruits to suddenly regain brain function. Take a look at the research on how the average diet of carbs and process foods affects our body. A ketogenic diet has shown to increase brain function in a recent study. I'll try to find it and post here.

OR a normal diet and some drugs. Why not figure it out both ways?
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