Slashdot Mirror
Cognition Enhancer Research
oschobero writes to tell us the Economist has a look at pharmaceutical research as it applies to cognition enhancers. While the research is obviously focused on things like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and schizophrenia, the resulting drugs may also have a benefit to healthy minds. "Provigil and Ritalin really do enhance cognition in healthy people. Provigil, for example, adds the ability to remember an extra digit or so to an individual's working memory (most people can hold seven random digits in their memory, but have difficulty with eight). It also improves people's performance in tests of their ability to plan. Because of such positive effects on normal people, says the report, there is growing use of these drugs to stave off fatigue, help shift-workers, boost exam performance and aid recovery from the effects of long-distance flights."
I've taking Provigil. It's an amazing and weird drug.
On the one hand, It helps endlessly with functioning while sleepy. As a chronic insomniac, I'm never THAT awake, but after two hours of sleep and a provigil, I'm awake enough to drive and take exams. It doesn't even keep you up after it wears off, something every other sleep aid or wake aid I've ever taken does. It avoids the problem of body/mind disconnect, you're AWAKE, not brain awake/body tired or body awake/brain sleepy.
On the other, it has an effect I can only describe as "positional". You can still tell that you're tired, but you only feel it in one part of your head, kinda towards the lower-right-back area. And yes, that's insane.
What's weirder is that if you get a headache while on provigil, you'll feel it in that area too. It's kinda like it's turned off your brain's natural "error reporting" that tells you you're tired/headachey, but it doesn't do it for the whole brain.
I also had some nasty experiences in the bathroom while on it. That's definitely a downside. (Wee, rather than being late for class because I can't wake up I'm late for class because I'm stuck in the bathroom)
I only used it for about two weeks (despite the above praise, it didn't help with my main problem), but I'd definitely use it again if I had the chance. There's enough times where I've not gotten enough sleep for one reason or another but I really have to be at work the next day that it'd be quite handy to have around.
I respond to your sigs
I've used it before and it increased cognition considerably, especially when I was tired and figured I'd have a wasteful night of studying. If I have less than 8 hours sleep, I have difficulty focusing on a single source at one time, and studying is impossible. Ritalin has helped me micro-focus, and not just cram for exams but actually learn topics. If I had a steady source of Ritalin, or a doctor that 'played ball', I might consider experimenting with it more often.
Yup, won't be longer before passing a drug test for employment means your results have to come back positive.
I am a network systems engineer(among other things) and I have the same issue! remember 3 or 4 numbers and have to look for the next!
I find that my multitasking and fast thought processes lower my memory recall. If I take a few days off from work and just relax or go riding or something I can then remember very long strings of info, like multiple phone numbers.
Back when DVDs were being pushed by the likes of Futureshop and Bestbuy, I could memorize 2 or 3 serial numbers from the DVD players(free DVD with new player promos). Multitasking wrecks memory!
Modafinil (provigil) is safer, more effective, and less addictive than caffeine.
Unfortunately, possession without a prescription can get you a year in jail. Strangly, it's chemical predecessor, Adrafinil is perfectly legal to buy over the counter (at about a tenth of the cost as well). It actually turns into modafinil in your stomach, but it takes longer to take effect, and the chemical byproducts cause stomach pains and liver problems.
I think you have a very good point. I can easily remember phone numbers for friends in Denmark and Sweden as well as freinds phone numbers with area code in the states.
Maybe there is some sore of 'memory groove' from the size of numbers usually looked at?
I watched some discovery channel some time ago and there is a tribe of poeple in south american that does not count. they have 4 numbers. none, one, some, and many. they can only remember how much of 1 or 2 things they have. like how many leaves and how many sticks but couldnt remember how many rocks. These people just didn't have the mental dexterity to remember some rocks, 1 leaf, and many sticks, probably because they typically only have to remember 1 or 2 pieces of information.
Try remembering two, three digit numbers and one single digit. I don't exactly know why it helps, but it makes numbers and their order a lot easier. Perhaps it's something about treating a three digit number like a single concept.
We are all just people.
Ritalin (methylphenidate), Provigil (aka Modafinil), Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), etc are not the only options. In fact, there is a whole class of cognitive-enhancement drugs, called Nootropics.
The best of these (and arguable one of the safest), in my non-medical opinion, is Piracetam. It is a cyclic derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA, and has been used extensively since the 1960s in clinical studies, for treatment of Alzheimer's (and more), and off-label as a "supplement." Many studies suggest it increases blood flow (and hence oxygenation) to the brain, and protects the brain against damage from alcohol poisoning. It has no known LD-50, and has been clinically tested in daily doses exceeding 50 grams!
I personally use Piracetam to help study, and through my (obviously non-blinded and partially-biased) self-tests, I found that it really does help me learn things faster. After a cramming/studying session, I'll usually look back and realize how much material I've been able to learn in such a short time. All friends I've recommended it to have come to the same conclusion. My dosages vary from 1 gram up to 5 grams at a time, repeating every 3-4 hours.
Unfortunately, the reason why Nootropics aren't used much is because they don't have the intense effects that *stimulants* such as Ritalin do. The effects of Piracetam are very subtle (though the first time is more noticable)--enough so that its easy to get discouraged. However, when you take Ritalin, the stimulation effect is VERY noticeable (and fun, for many people).
The big problems with stimulants are that they aren't great for your body, they can encourage bad sleep habits, they are fun to use (possibly leading to irresponsible use), and they can lead to distraction for those not used to the effects at the used dosage. Additionally, they have terrible come-downs. A responsible stimulant user must recognize these aspects and make efforts to control them, otherwise they will not get any work done, or worse harm themselves!
Disclaimer: I'm not licensed to give medical advice. These are my opinions and are for informational purposes only. Using the mentioned stimulants without a prescription is stupidly illegal (but illegal nonetheless). I won't get into how prohibition is stupid and doesn't work (I think free-use regulation and accurate dispersion of information is the way to go). More importantly though, using these drugs improperly can be unsafe. Make sure you thoroughly research any drugs you use, including over-the-counter drugs, and consult a medical professional when unsure about possible interactions with other drugs or your health conditions.
Wikipedia on Piracetam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracetam
Erowid on Nootropics: http://www.erowid.org/smarts/
To put some things in perspective: The Roman Catholic Church is one of the largest and best organized branches of Christianity. But the total annual budget of the Vatican is only $190 million, which is about 20 times smaller than the smallest corporation of the Fortune 500. Barack Obama raised $90 million for his campaign in just the first two months of this year.
Or, look at it this way: if you're a particularly devout person in the US, you'd probably spend an average of one to two hours per week doing specifically religious activities... and then you'd spend over forty hours a week in the office, slaving away for The Man.
So who's likely to be more powerful: the religions, or the corporations, the CEOs, and their lobbyists?
Why are these things legal when the population opposes them? The court system, of course. A person in a black robe can effectively dictate laws to the popular masses.
And the religions have one weapon that no corporation or political figure can wield. If they can convince someone that doing something will bring someone eternal ecstasy or eternal damnation, they can make that person do anything. Most of the most horrific wars and killings in history have been brought about by religions telling their followers that god wanted them to go kill people.
And nobody I know of is willing to martyr themselves for Halliburton, Wal-Mart or Exxon.
Personally I'm keen on the idea - from a selfish point of view :-)
As I have progressive MS it seems like cognitive problems aren't due soon (hopefully) and will be less than with other forms (again, hopefully) but if there's a hope for something that'll help prevent this - then that's great.
Not walking too well is ok, and being a wheelchair user is something I can surely cope with - but difficulty with thinking? That's the most terrifying thing I can imagine.
Well, if you've ever been in school, you know that the demands it makes on a person are much greater than a full-time job. Plus there's also the need to have some type of social life outside of work, and for some people a need to cook in order to eat. These things combined mean that there isn't a lot of room in life to sleep.
What I'm saying is that your solution, although the better one, is not the most feasible one.
SRSLY.
Beta-blockers medications commonly taken by patients with varying heart conditions, such as Atenolol or Metoprolol, can also generate similar effects in brain function and memory. For example, as a child, I was regularly a D to F student during my middle school and early high school years. But after having been diagnosed with a heart murmur and placed on Atenolol, I suddenly started generating A's and B's in my classes. Although I never really pieced it together until a few years ago, I do know I was able to focus on my work far more easily due to a perceived "slow-down" in my overall personality
Also, it seemed to improve my ability to work with logic problems, making programming a far simpler task... especially when it came to tracing/debugging my own code.
8==8 Bones 8==8
Most nights my job/life don't allow me the time to get extra sleep through the week. But even if it did,..I feel about the same with 5,8,10 or 15 hours of sleep. I'm trying to clean up my life, (eat better, work out more etc..) but feeling tired and unfocused through the day is just the norm for me.
And yes I've had the full medical battery and exams, aside from needing to lose some weight and having some mild skin allergies I'm 100%
Also I'm taking this mainly as a neuro enhancer than a "pep pill" and so far it's working great. It really does help out even if I'm fully rested.
I use it mon-fri as an attention deficit/cognition enhancement supplement. I am able to concentrate on a task more effectively when using it. For me the effects are like cocaine without the euphoria. I don't get jittery or wired, just focused. I have a shrink who has studied provigil extensively as an attention deficit drug, and while it is not yet approved in the US for that use, he believes strongly in it, as do I.
As do the mice who will choose provigil over food when given a choice.
Do we need drugs to make our lives "better"? Why not? Our society is no longer based solely on fulfilling basic needs. We work in fabric covered boxes performing tasks that have no direct connection to survival, other than earning money to buy food. If a drug helps us do that then, given the facts about it, we can make an informed decision.
The "magic memory number" is something like 7 +/- 2 digits. So how do you remember 11, how do you remember? How do idiot savants count cards or memorize a hundred digits of pi?
For the most part, it's called "chunking." You might remember the first three digits of a number as a single part, like an area code. Maybe through repetition or some kind of pattern, those numbers become a single encoded, sometimes even rhythmic, symbol.
The number you gave was "414354#####". That 414 is a palindrome, so maybe that gets chunked up. Maybe you see mathematical relationships between numbers. 4 + 1 + 4 = 9, and the last 5 + 4 = 9, and both of those sums of 9 are sandwiching a 3. It's nice that 3^2 is 9. Or maybe you flirt with the idea of 4-3=1, then 1+3=4. Then there's that 3 again. 4134. Or perhaps you start with 4, go down 2, up 2, up 1. Maybe you remember that your birthday party on 4/13/04 ended tragically because your 54-yr-old mother stepped on your dog, fell over, and broke her hip. I don't know.
There's a million little ways you can play number games, and most of them aren't readily understood at the conscious level. We develop feelings and associations for numbers (or words, or other symbols), and sometimes a pattern is more visible in our minds because we've seen and used it elsewhere before. Those of us with more experience simply have a larger "vocabulary" of chunks (see grandmaster chess-players), despite intelligence levels (for the most part).
The line has never been real anyway. Like many arbitrary social lines, it's an artificial constraint imposed by moralists.
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
Okay, I'm going to push you on this one. If the drug makes you smarter with no unpleasant short or long-term side-effects, why on earth would it be a bad idea? Any time we can get a benefit that outweighs its cost, we should do it. Very little in our lives resembles "nature" in the true pre-technology sense, and that's a good thing. If there's a particular reason why it "just seems to be a bad idea" to take medication regularly, by all means, spit it out so we can critique it. Otherwise, it sounds like you're basically being a luddite.
Besides, when you get right down to it, increasing your intelligence IS therapeutic in the sense that it helps you to avoid a surprising number of potential ailments.
Being a pharmacist allows me to speak with some authority on this. Many drugs have what are called " Off Label" uses. This means that doctors sometimes prescribe them for conditions that are not included in what the drugs were approved for. Having practiced in many a high-income neighborhood, Provigil almost since its introduction has been used as a performance enhancing drug. After filling prescriptions for an increasing number of obviously non narcoleptic patients I asked a few doctors what they were using it for. Most patients were men who were mid to high level executive positions who felt they needed an "edge" on their competitors in the business world, or were using the drug to combat jet lag. Yes EVERY drug has side effects. The thing is that when the benefits out weigh the side effects you use the drug for what it's good for.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
Try some mini-experiments. You already have your baseline of "getting drowsy for these activities".
My hunch is you run your life on the edge of a small chronic sleep-debt, which is the subtle cumulative effects of shaving off small fractions of each night's sleep.
Pick a weekend and clear your entire schedule. Go to bed with a clock, but the alarm off. (That's so you can glance at the time during the "false-alarm wakeup that you know is too early, and refuse to get up.) Even if you feel guilty/lazy, insist on resting for at least an hour past your "regular" timing.
Then when you do finally get up, do all your morning things, and have a large heavy-protein breakfast. Then take your coffee/soda/other beverage and lounge in your favorite chair with an *exciting* book.
Wait for it
So, you get up the second time, and maybe even a third. But eventually, your body will finally grudgingly admit it's rested, and call off the nap-attacks. Then if you succeed in getting through some 60/75 pages of your book, you'll have your key data point. However, the entire first trial could be a washout. That's okay.
It will take a few weekend trials to learn/train to settle down properly. But eventually, your semi-conscious will start forming the first pathways to that signal of "getting ready to study".
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine