11/21/2004

Brain food

If you had the chance to take a pill that would enhance your memory and sharpen your mental response would you? Who wouldn't? But why do we need these pills? If these pills can help the ill then they should be sold. But why are they needed by those who are healthy?

In the past decade there has been much advancement in genetics, molecular biology, and brain-imaging technology. There are over 40 potential enhancers currently being developed. This can help cure the 4.5 million people that suffer from Alzheimers. In 15 years, an expected 6 million will be diagnosed with it. I personally can tell you that this would be a miracle. Some people do not know how hard it is to look at a family member and tell them you love them when they have no idea who you are. Live's can change if these new drugs become a success.

Will it be taken advantage of? Will people be buying this drug, perhaps on the black market, in order to help themself? Will businesses want this drug so that they can remember everything about their customers? This drug could change everything.

2 comments:

pramahaphil said...

What a fantastic new development in medicine. While I do agree that the potential for abuse is substantial, the possible benefits far outweigh any of the risks.

This situation reminds of the possibilities that exist with the research that is not being allowed with stem cells.

Dr. Tufte said...

Ooh. This is a juicy one - who cares about the economics.

First thought: isn't this what caffeine already does? That could explain why it is the single most heavily used drug on the planet.

Second thought: medical students have been using amphetamines for a long time for expressly this purpose.

Third thought: when we use our brains more actively our bodies crave simple carbohydrates which produce the energy we need more readily.

My guess is that some people would take this stuff - a significant minority - but probably not a majority. That's the way that steroids and cosmetic surgery have worked out.

Now, here's the economics idea (from Landsburg). The net benefit of this advance will be zero for most of us. The reason is that the we will buy the product until its marginal benefits equal our marginal costs. Sorry to rain on your parade.

BTW: a big feature of the Dune science fiction series was the division of society into classes based on what drugs they took to accentuate particular mental abilities.