Some of us have heard of nootropics (aka 'smartdrugs'). Nootropics are substances that are thought to
increase brain activity and memory. Although
not everyone has heard of smart drugs almost everyone has heard of or seen the
movie Limitless, and for those who have not seen it, it is about a man who
takes a pill that allows him to use 100% of his mind. Thus, changing his life for the better. Occasionally the shelves of health food
stores have them but shockingly enough they are more available on the internet. The sales pitch for these pill is, "scientific
evidence has proven that these substances improve memories of healthy children
and adults and block the adverse effects of aging on memory" (Pinel
295). The fact of the matter is that
most of the research for these drugs has been tested on both nonhuman and
humans with memory difficulties such as the elderly. In my opinion these pills have a comparable result
to hard work and caffeine. If you are
not a whiz kid before you will certainly not become one afterwards. But as stated that is just my opinion. Perhaps these nootropics really do work, the
thought is ideal, but I am skeptical. Perhaps
it is mind over matter, after all the mind is a powerful thing, it would not be
the first and only trick it plays on us.
All in all the subject of nootropic drugs is very interesting and being that I mentioned the movie I thought that this short clip would not only give you an idea of the movie (haha), but it would show you how the drug is supossed to affect your brain. Enjoy!
Have you ever read the book this movie is based on? If not, you shoud because the book gives a better understanding of what's actually causing him to become so smart. I've read tons of articles on how to become "smarter". Mostly they all say that eating right and keeping your mind busy is really the key to becoming smarter. In the book, you can really see how the guy is actually just taking the pills and it's making his mind go into over drive with the need to be doing something, so he decides he's going to go into the stock market and in order to be sucessful there he has to read a lot of information to predict the stock market. SO your right, the pills are pretty much a caffine rush for the brain. At least that's what I've gathered over the years reading about getting "smarter".
ReplyDeleteThis is incredibly interesting! I had absolutely no idea that there were really "smart" drugs such as the pill in limitless. It's funny because I would joke with my friends about finding those pills and becoming rich an powerful haha
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the face of the drug sounds dangerous. I hope that if there are any advances in such research that it is put the right use and used conservatively.
It’s amazing that there is something out there that actually increases our brain activity and memory. I had never heard of the movie or of these smart drugs, but now that I’ve seen the preview I really want to watch it. This subject really got me curious as to what nootropics specifically were. Reading up on them I realized that they are things like Iodine, Thiamine, Priacetam, Choline amongst others and each with different areas that they enhance. All I got to say is Wow! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thinkinginanutshell.com/nootropics
Ive never heard of people taking "smart drugs", but I have heard of people taking Ritalin and Adderall because it supposedly makes them smarter. I dont believe there is anything we can take that can make us smarter. Like you said if you werent born a genius you wont become one by taking a pill.
ReplyDelete