[linkssciammind] Scientific American Mind

[wispfox]

I do like Scientific American Mind. Just got a new one, and have a couple of links.

The first is the full article, and is Smarter on Drugs: We recoil at the idea of people taking drugs to enhance their intelligence. But why?

The second, unfortunately, does not have the full article available online for free (I get the magazine, so have it in hard copy), but I link anyway. Hearing Colors, Tasting Shapes: People with synesthesia--whose senses blend together--are providing valuable clues to understanding the organization and functions of the brain.

Comments

[australian-joe.livejournal.com]

For a semi-scientific survey of brain drugs, in more detail than most people might want:

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/

Written with an obvious slant, but at least links to abstracts of medical articles. I like that it groups chemicals by their chemical effect and family.

I am *very* close to sounding out my GP about off-label prescription of some brain drugs. (Mostly interested in trying bupropion/Wellbutrin, modafinil/Provigil and selegiline/Deprenyl.)

(And heh, just got your email when you sent me the link. 8->)

[fourgates.livejournal.com]

Mostly interested in trying bupropion/Wellbutrin, modafinil/Provigil and selegiline/Deprenyl.
On a purely academic level, you may be interested to know that in Mexico, modafinil is called modafinilo, brand name Modiodal. Not that I'd know anything more about that. No, surely not. I have also been curious about bupropion/Wellbutrin. Too bad I won't be able to make it to San Diego, so close to Mexico.

By the way, may I add?

[australian-joe.livejournal.com]

Mexico: hmmm! 8-> And yeah, I won't be in San Diego either, annoyingly.

Adding: Of course, and thank you for asking!

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

(And heh, just got your email when you sent me the link. 8->)

Which I sent you before I posted this. :)

Why are you curious about the ones you list? Or should I just go read the link you gave?

[australian-joe.livejournal.com]

Bupropion/Wellbutrin isn't available in Australia for anything but as an anti-smoking drug. It strongly affects norepinephrine/noradrenaline (NE/NA), weakly affects dopamine and doesn't affect serotonin at all. This means it doesn't have the SSRI side-effects (which affect me strongly). It likely wouldn't be a strong-enough anti-depressant on its own since I appear to be principally serotonin-mediated, but there are reports that it's very effective in conjunction with a low-dose SSRI. I'd try it in combination with initially low-dose SAMe. I'd be looking for an increase to SAMe's anti-depressant effect, and as an attention/drive drug in its own right.

I'm interested in modafinil/Provigil for reducing my propensity to hypersomnia when fixing my serotonin. Low-dose sertraline/Zoloft wasn't enough to give me the effects I wanted; on a high dose it put me to sleep for 12 hours a day. This is annoying to track because one of my main signs of insufficiently-treated depression is also that I sleep too much! Modafinil reduces need for sleep and appears to improve memory and concentration. So as with bupropion I'd be looking for fixing/enhancing my serotonin treatment, plus a boost to attention.

Selegiline/Deprenyl would be for much the same - it increases libido and drive. So again it would be for reducing side-effects of lifting serotonin levels, and for a boost to concentration.

I wish I didn't have to work or have any other obligations for a year, because then (assuming access to all drugs) I could do a proper benchmark, returning to a zero (unmedicated) state for 2 weeks between each trial, each trial lasting 8 weeks, one trial for baseline serotonin-only treatment, then each of these 3 drugs on their own at various doses, then in various combinations. I suspect I'd need far less of every drug the more I combined them.

I should write something like this up in my own LJ. 8->

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

I should write something like this up in my own LJ. 8->

Yes, you should! :) Yay, lengthy replies!

(You should also reply to fourgates' query about adding you. ;)

[australian-joe.livejournal.com]

I'm considering getting around to some of the "I should write this up" notions I've had this past week over my weekend. 8->

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

You should! I want to see! :)

(well, at least, the ones I haven't already seen. ;)

[drwex]

Thank you for the pointer. I've sent in my subscription.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

*grin* Welcome!

I do love this magazine. It's one of the few I've ever gotten that I can see myself getting for years into the future (although I think I'll change to the online version, next time it's time to resubscribe). I like Scientific American, as well, but not as intensely.

[opalmirror.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. Passed it along to a psych student/friend. Been chewing on it.