Hatrack River Forum: Nootropics. Good idea? Or bad idea?

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

It's a medical question. [Big Grin]

Nootropics, in brief, are also known as smart drugs in that they can help a person be smarter. Or, maybe not smarter, exactly, but can enhance the communication between the two sides of the brain, through the corpus callosum. It can also reportedly enhance memory - long or short, I don't remember off hand. [Roll Eyes]

The nootropics have been mainly used on patients with alzheimers and dyslexia, from what I can tell.

A study was done - and dagnabbit, I wish I had a link, but I don't, it was emailed to me from a friend sans link - that showed that people who'd been abused as children had smaller corpus callosum. In the more extreme examples, there's significant memory loss, either short term or long or both.

So. Sara and others. In that case, would it be likely or possible that nootropics like piracetim help? (Sara, I pick on you only cuz you're so visible. [Big Grin]

)

Edit: because, honestly, I do mostly know how to spell. Sheesh!

[ January 08, 2005, 10:01 AM: Message edited by: quidscribis ]

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I read this book once called Flowers for Algernon.

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

(cackles) I have a friend who lacks connective tissue in his corpus callosum. Wonder what this would do to him... Probably just confuse him.

Posted by Trisha the Severe Hottie (Member # 6000) on :

Maybe abused children want to forget. Didn't you see X2? Even Charles Xavier doesn't go there. [Wink]

Seriously, though, I think the recovery of memory is best done through talk therapy or jounralling and not primarily with drugs. There are some physical activities that can help build the corpus collosum. I'm thinking of Brain Gym, but I'm sure a lot of exercise helps. Which may be why depression and being sedentary often correlate. (I'm making a leap here from childhood trauma to learned helplessness to depression).

The only case where I might say this would be a good idea to explore is in cases of debilitating PTSD. I think a lot of people have various levels of PTSD, but if one isn't able to have a job or a relationship because of it, it might help if the memories can get more integrated rather than stick out like a hangnail. But again, I always thing people should have counseling before, during, and after psych drugs.