Can You Make Your Brain Limitless? by Jerry Brainum 10/24

 

In the 2011 film Limitless, Bradley Cooper portrays what many would call a "loser." He procrastinates and can't seem to get ahead with his life. His thinking and cognitive or brain skills are too muddled for him to focus on things that would bring success to his life. Then, he is given a mysterious pill that is an experimental drug called "AZT." A transformation soon occurs, where Cooper turns into a human computer with the ability to learn and think far more advanced than any human can imagine. He finishes a novel he has put off writing in two days, then starts to invest in mathematical skills that Einstein would envy. He becomes rich overnight. All because of one pill. A similar film in 2014 stars Scarlett Johansson as a woman who, unfortunately, is implanted with a drug. She is supposed to be a "Mule" and transport the drug. But the implanted drug bursts open inside her, and she is suddenly able to use 100% of her brain with extraordinary consequences. I won't give away the rest of the plot of these respective films, but they focus on ingesting substances with the ability to greatly increase brain power.

While both films are fictional, they are based on actual substances, although not nearly as potent as the drugs portrayed in the movie. These substances, collectively known as Nootropics, are touted to increase such brain functions as memory, intelligence, concentration, and focus. In short, they are supposed to make you smarter, which is why they are also called "smart drugs." Smart drugs have become extremely popular as the internet has grown, with countless websites selling various smart drug concoctions that users think will mimic the effects of the Bradley Cooper character from Limitless. Indeed, smart drug sales now average at least $8 billion a year, showing the great interest in these drugs. The term "nootropics" was coined in 1972 and is derived from the Greek words "Noos" which means thinking, and tropein, which means to guide. Nootropics fall into three categories: Supplements, which are natural nootropics; Synthetic compounds, many of which were developed in Russia; and prescription drugs.

Just as certain anabolic steroid drugs are supposed to impart specific benefits, such as promoting increased muscular definition or increased muscular mass, nootropics vary in what they do in the brain. Some are considered more potent than others, with the most powerful being prescription drugs. Indeed, the AZT drug from the movie Limitless was loosely based on an actual drug called modafinil, favored by stockbrokers and other professionals to improve mental focus and concentration. The actual medical indication for modafinil is to treat a condition called narcolepsy, which is marked by falling asleep without warning. Modafinil is said to provide the same mental stimulation effects as amphetamines . . .