Do you think[Neurology question]

[abaris]

To take a drug that would enhance your intelligence exponentially?
I see nothing morally wrong with that, however, the only way this would ever exist would be illegally and over-priced.

Other than it becoming another commodity for the rich and powerful and the bulk of the population being excluded.

[brewer]

I think you worry to much about your mental capabilities.

I'm sure that there are yet undiscovered transmitters (endogenous or exogenous) and receptors, or interactive processes in the brain. I doubt that there will be one chemical entity/one receptor type that will globally improve cognitive function. Neuro function is to complex.

[Faith No More]

If there was a neurotransmitter so responsible for cognitive functions that we could manipulate it to make us smarter, I'm pretty sure we would have found it by now.

But it's like I_am_not_mafia said, it's not as simple as increasing a neurotransmitter to increase traits. Neurotransmitters each have multiple functions, and often neurological traits are a result of the ratio of several different neurotransmitters, not just the level of one of them. It's certainly not as simple as more = better.

[I_am_not_mafia]

IANAN, but I don't think it is that simple. At least for intelligence, that is in how the brain is wired and trained, and just adding some chemicals may allow you to get the maximum performance out of what you already have, but I can't imagine how it would magically increase IQ etc. beyond that. But I could imagine having a substance which dramatically increases speed of perception.

That's basically consistent with what I said.

[Alex K]

IANAN, but I don't think it is that simple. At least for intelligence, that is in how the brain is wired and trained, and just adding some chemicals may allow you to get the maximum performance out of what you already have, but I can't imagine how it would magically increase IQ etc. beyond that. But I could imagine having a substance which dramatically increases speed of perception.

That's basically consistent with what I said.

Yes, definitely!

[brewer]

https://www.ted.com/talks/sandrine_thure...here_s_how

[Heat]

To take a drug that would enhance your intelligence exponentially?
I see nothing morally wrong with that, however, the only way this would ever exist would be illegally and over-priced.

I'm thinking of the potential consequences. If it's only available to some, then this will create a massive gulf, essentially fracturing us into two entirely different groups. I know we have a lot of diversity as it is, but not on this scale.

Then there's the problem with how people cope with this sudden the new intelligence. They may become so incredibly bored that they go insane due to lack of challenging stimulation. Their life would be turned upside down in an instant; they would barely be the same person anymore.

And we wouldn't necessarily have the wisdom to go with it and may end up destroying the planet even faster than we already are.

I'm not saying all these things would definitely happen like I'm describing, just that I think there are serious implications. I've noticed mankind generally leaps ahead with technology before properly undstanding what the fallout may be until it's too late. There is a field of study specifically about this, looking at ways we might possibly end up ruining our own society and trying to avoid them.

Another quick example: I'm now so intelligent I can crack all the current security algorithms for everything. You can't prepare the world for people this intelligent without it already being designed by people this intelligent; a circular problem. The first generation will have amazing power which they could heavily abuse.

Do you think that we will ever discover a new Neurotransmitter, one that is largly responsible for cognitive functions, or if aided, can increase cognitive ability dramatically?

You mean one that is naturally occurring? No, or very improbable at best. The brain has been too closely studied.

But existing neurotransmitters are used in multiple parts of the brain. Their use is dependent upon where they are used. For example, a loss of dopamine producing cells is linked to Parkinson's, but dopamine is also used for pleasure and reward.

And just increasing the level of neurotransmitter won't help anyway. That's like saying flooding your LAN with white noise will speed up your computer. Neurotransmitters are used for sending signals sent between neurons. Neurons release them into a synaptic cleft. Filling the cleft with more signals won't help. What will help is giving neurons the ability to send strong signals for longer. Good, nutritious food and exercising your brain will do that.

Generally excitatory drugs which makes you feel more alert, or happier, excited etc are the equivalent of going on a spending spree. It doesn't produce the money but just speeds up how fast you spend it. So you just end up broke for longer.

To take a drug that would enhance your intelligence exponentially?
I see nothing morally wrong with that, however, the only way this would ever exist would be illegally and over-priced.

Other than it becoming another commodity for the rich and powerful and the bulk of the population being excluded.

Umm, I think you guys misunderstand. Anything that would increase your intelligence and functionality exponentially would clearly come with MASSIVE side effects. The higher you go, the more you fall, even if this was available, no rich person would use it, unless you could somehow eliminate the side effects, no one would risk their life just to use it for a very short amount of time, unless you're the main character from the movie Limitless. You can't operate at a 4 digit IQ if you were barely built for a 3 digit IQ. That's not how it works. There wouldn't be this gap of people using it and not, the people who use it would die before there was even a chance to "create" this gap. 


We're not talking about permenantly changing the brain to make it more intelligent, otherwise there would be a gap. We're talking about a temporary drug that could effect an undiscovered part of the brain to make you intelligent. There's a massive difference. It wouldn't last forever, you wouldn't get bored of not being "challenged" enough, it would work like any other drug. You rise. You fall.

[Heat]

I think you worry to much about your mental capabilities.

I'm sure that there are yet undiscovered transmitters (endogenous or exogenous) and receptors, or interactive processes in the brain. I doubt that there will be one chemical entity/one receptor type that will globally improve cognitive function. Neuro function is to complex.

I'm not worried about mental capabilites, persay, more of; i'm just interested in intelligence in general terms.

I like to learn, I like to maximize my brain's potential. I'm certainly not worried about anything, just, find it interesting I guess.


I'm not good at anything in real life, whether it be extracurricular activities, sports, etc. So I decided to make my brain my hobby.

[Bard A Madsen]

Do you think that we will ever discover a new Neurotransmitter, one that is largly responsible for cognitive functions, or if aided, can increase cognitive ability dramatically?

Without doubt.  I've had that experience. Years ago I was building my house and to save trips to the hardware store, which is over 50 miles away, I would jump around through various aspects of the house until I ran out of supplies for every one of them.  So, I'm doing plumbing, then electrical, then carpentry, then data lines, ect... and I was having a lot of trouble recalling where I left tools in the house to the point of irritation.  I was spending way too much time looking through the house for a simple Phillips screw driver or the screw gun or those horse shoe nails to tack wires in place because I kept changing projects.  Then this friend shows up for a social visit and we have a couple of beers and something for recreation.  After he left I could recall and almost play back to myself where I set down everything in the house, if I needed a tool I could walk right to it and carry on with what I was doing.  It was so extraordinary that I came up with this analogy : It is as if my whole life I've been going through a huge warehouse full of shelves and crates with objects on top with just a candle and this was like someone turned on the whole building lights and I could see across the way.  Weeks later the same friend shows back up and I asked what exactly was that you gave me last time and he looked at me perplexed and never has told me.  My last doctor moved away and said he was going to set up an appointment with a neurologist for a sleep disorder and I was thinking of telling him/her this story which will probably be a mistake, but maybe worth a try.  Anyhow, I looked up what a neurologist was instead of just guessing and Boy Howdy, they have to have 12 years plus of college!