Smart Drugs (nootropics)

This Thread is for purposes soley of discussion only. I am not endorsing anything and speak from a pure research and curiosity background coming from a background of psychology and addictions. This area is very unresearched and by experimenting with these substances, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Nootropics comes from the Greek language literally meaning to turn the mind. The concept is to have a substance that invigorates the brain for better functioning. (e.g., Hudler). These nootropics substances also known as smart-drugs and cognitive enhancers can be either naturally occurring or synthetic in origin. Thus substances as diverse as pharmaceuticals to foods and herbs could fit under the umbrella of what is a smart-drug.

Dr. Giurgea first coined the word Nootropics in the nineteen-seventies. He wanted to make his definition exemplify five specific attributes for these smart-drugs to have. Nootropics must facilitate learning and memory, increased effiency in the cortical and sub cortical control mechanisms, posses very little toxicity and very few side effects, protect against physical and chemical injury, and resist conditions that disrupt the retention of what has been learned.

Thirty years of research later has left most people in the nootropics field to drop Dr. Giurgea’s definition entirely. The only thing kept by this revisionist view of nootropics has been the cognitive enhancing, low toxicity and side effects, and brain protecting features. Soon a broader and more inclusive criterion was enacted for the nootropics of today.

Smart-drugs act in a certain criteria that improve recall, retention of new information, alertness, better mood stability, concentration, organization, sexual desire, and intellectual performance. While not possessing all of these characteristics, the nootropics agent will have at least one if not multiples. This results in the smart-drug being taken usually for a self-perceived deficit in one or more of these areas. The taking of more than one nootropics in a cocktail of multiple cognitive enhancing agents has grown in popularity as availability and information has grown in recent bounds through recently published books and the Internet.

The rigors of daily life take a toll upon everyone in the form of stress. People devise various coping methods to deal with these stresses. Individuals may use productive outlets such as exercise or meditation to become an outlet for their stresses. Others may turn to other coping means such as alcohol, stimulants, depressants, or other drugs to ease these stressors in their lifestyle. Stress unchecked upon a person can lead to breakdowns of an individuals functioning by anxiety, depression, and neurosis. These stressors can chip away at one’s health, concentration, and emotional well-being. Smart-drugs work by correcting these conditions and also in the form of a preventative against future problems from recurring.

The idea of cognitive enhancement is nothing new. Smart-drugs in one form or another has existed since man first practiced medicine. Eastern medicines with its reliance on herbs such as ginseng show this concept has been around for many millennia. The term Nootropics was coined in the nineteen-seventies allowing a new definition to these accepted practices of ancient societies to be integrated with Western pharmaceutical agents capable of performing similar, if not more impressive feats and effects.

Smart-drugs of a pharmaceutical origin were made in the last fifty years to combat various brain traumas and age related problems that affected the human brain. Drugs manufactured to fight against senility, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s are prime examples of nootropics agents. Now those who are in good health to assist even more in their daily function in today stressful and demanding world take these drugs.

Smart-drugs are similarly used like other prescription drugs as in the hypertension drugs Rogaine and Propecia. These two drugs were found to also stimulate hair-growth in individuals losing their hair, so a side effect became desired and then marketed to combat another medical problem. Another medication called Cholestyramine, which was used to lower an individual’s cholesterol levels, had a side effect of constipation and now gets prescribed to combat gastro-intestinal disorders like ulcerative colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. New avenues of pharmaceutical treatment are available with some of the older and more established drugs.

More information to follow this introductory part.

Great idea for a thread, Twatster. I suspect you know a lot about this topic so I look forward to what you write beyond that informative introduction.

I’d like to hear suggestions for supplements I could take before an important meeting where I’m on the spot, like when I’m doing a presentation or a client is interviewing me for the first time. For that kind of situation I need to be very focused and articulate, without being so hyper or nervous that I talk too much and too fast, tap my fingers or feet, or otherwise become an embarrassing spectacle.

I find what has worked best for me is adequate, but not excessive caffeine, and something oxygenating, like taking a brisk 20 minute walk with no Walkman — so I can rehearse in my head and visualize how I’m going to kick ass.

A Definition of Serotonin: Basics

Pronunciation: `seru’townin

Serotonin: a.k.a 5-HT (abreviation); 5-hydroxytryptamine; enteramine; thrombocytin; thrombotonin; vasostatin.
Definition: Serotonin is an indolamine neurotransmitter.

Structure: 3-(2-aminoethyl)-5-indolamine; C10H12N2O
Properties

Serotonin is a(n) indolamine monamine neurotransmitter

Serotonin is involved in:
depression and other affective disorders
migraine headache
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
panic and other anxiety disorders
gastrointestinal function
vasoconstriction

Synthesis / Termination
Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan which is first hydroxylated to 5-hydroxytryptophan by the rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan-5-hydroxylase. The intermediate is then decarboxylated by the nonspecific aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase to serotonin.
The action of serotonin in the synapse is terminated by diffusion and reuptake at selecteive sites
Most serotonin is degraded by monoamine oxidase through oxidative demamination. Some of the resultant motabolite may oxidized further by a non-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase. The metabolites are then excreted in the urine.
Drugs
Agonists
tryptophan - increasing dietary intake of tryptophan can increase serotonin concentrations.
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) - increases action of serotonin by increasing synaptic concentration.

tricyclic anti-depressants non-selectively block monoamine reuptake sites and increases action of serotonin by increasing synaptic concentration.

Antagonists
cyprohepatadine
ergotamine
ketanserin
LSD
2-bromo-LSD
methylsergide
reserpine - causes depletion from vesicles

Some nice technical and not so technical links for the subject.

Serotonin

Serotonin is the brain’s “happy” neurotransmitter. It controls our pain threshold, our sleep patterns, our mental alertness, our desire for fatty foods, and our sense of well being. Low levels of serotonin can cause a disturbance of sleep, increased anxiety and irritability. It can cause loss of libido, lower the amount of pain we can tolerate, cause us to eat more fat, and make us feel generally lousy. Low serotonin levels are the classic and most obvious symptom of Depression.

DOPAMINE

Pronunciation: d’âpum`In

Definition: a chemical substance, a neurotransmitter, found in the brain that regulates movement, balance, and walking.

Definition: A hormone like substance with the chemical formula C8H11NO2. It is found in the nervous system as an important neurotransmitter, or substance which transmits nerve signals from neuron to neuron. It is also an intermediate in the productions of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. Synonyms, 4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine

Dopamine is one of the catecholamine neurotransmitters in the brain. It is derived from tyrosine and is the precursor to NOREPINEPHRINE and EPINEPHRINE. Dopamine is a major transmitter in the extrapyramidal system of the brain, and important in regulating movement. A family of receptors mediate its action.

Dopamine for Complete Idiots

Dopamine is one of the most addictive chemicals around. You can’t buy it on the street, though: it occurs naturally inside your brain. When something feels good—whether it’s a drug, a gooey chocolate brownie, or a kiss from a sweetheart—dopamine plays a big role in creating that satisfying feeling that keeps you coming back for more.

Dopamine in the basil ganglia (in brains interior) show they are critical for executing smooth and controlled movements. Lack of dopamine is a cause of parkinson disease which a person looses the ability to initiate controlled movements. Dopamine moves into frontal lobe regulating flow of information coming in from other areas of the brain. Compromise in the flow of dopamine may cause disrupted or incoherent thought as in schizophrenia. In milder disorders, too much dopamine in the limbic system and not enough in the cortex may produce an overly suspicious personality giving to bouts of paranoia or may inhibit social interaction. A shortage of Dopamine in the frontal lobes may contribute to poor working memory. Dopamine is also thought to produce feelings of bliss (the pleasure chemical). More dopamine into the frontal lobe lessens pain and increases pleasure.

Dopamine puts the yummy feeling in you for your addiction of choice. Nothing better than a double hit of cigarettes after sex. Double your pleasure in all senses of the word.

I am sure we can find something here that might possibly be a solution to what you want. This is a work in progress to say the least. I am slowly adding to it in the form of basic neurotransmitters before I hit the drug/substances part. A bit each day to flesh it out. With this thread I expect to learn just like anyone else does. There is ideas and notions that aren’t concrete and I hope one of you guys could help us all out.

I kinda like Dopamine myself. I have ADHD and it works for me to be able to concentrate longer than 10 seconds.

bromocriptine is a central dopamine agonist. Any body tried it for anything?

I think It could be theoretically a weight loss drug or a drug to make one horny.

I don’t know about this man…I guess Im very biased here because I believe in natural enhancements and a sort of health nut in that sense. I hate any kind of drug, even things like caffeine and aspirin. I am more against engineered drugs but I realize that things like penicillin have been beneficial to mankind and has produced more good. I am a practical person and so I think as a general rule anything in excessive amounts is asking for trouble. Moderation is the key here. However Im not against taking substances that already occur naturally in our bodies, e.g. Dopamine,Insulin etc.

This is only if the body is not producing the normal quantities or there is some life threatening consequences. (other alternative may be impractical due to time or unusual circumstances) otherwise I don’t want to risk upsetting the overall balance of hormones and chemicals that exist in our bodies. Who knows what can happen if your body becomes dependent and you cease taking the drug.

As far as increasing mental concentration is concerned, I think the brain is kinda like a muscle in the sense that if you don’t use it…you will lose it.
I often keep my mental edge by doing math or logic puzzles, good diet and exercise for good blood circulation.

I have gone as far as to square 3 and 4 digit numbers mentally in my head as a form of mental exercise and when that became way too easy for me…I took to juggling three pins while squaring those numbers in my head. I have reached a point where I can do it faster than someone can get punch a calculator for an answer. Always an entertaining feat at parties and stuff but its no big deal, I think just about anybody can do it (given enough time) Now I am working on doing 4 pins.

I find that my ability to concentrate has increased as a result of all that and I often have moments of exceptional mental/visual clarity ( Kinda like when Archimedes yelled EUREKA!!! while sitting in the bathtub contemplating how to determine the gold and silver content of the kings crown :chuckle: )

Let me tell you that its an an excellent mental workout and also reinforces the neural pathways that control coordination,memory and timing.
I don’t advocate any kind of drug from an intuitive understanding and/or logical perspective, i.e., my views are not influenced or conditioned by “Say No to Drugs” media campaigns. I am a free thinker.

I say why do it? when there are are other alternatives that exist, you want to get high— Get in touch with nature and get high on life! get high on love, your girlfriend, your wife, whatever. Go running and get a runners high! Why place money in the pockets of pharmaceutical companies/executives and take drugs that will possibly do more harm to your body than good. Thats just my opinion.

So all you do is square numbers in your head? This sounds interesting.

In my psychology courses at college, I had a professor for Developmental Psychology (the whole human life span studied) who told me about senility and such issues of mental fitness in the elderly shown through some studies.

A study of Catholic nuns showed that the chance of developing senility and other mental maladies of old age was in proportion by how flowery the writing style of that sister is. The use of $100 words to flesh something out is what I am talking about. They went back to the admission essays used by the nuns in the records of that order and followed up across the several decades and found the more use of big words which is mental gymnastics the less cognitive problems later in life.

Another study which showed the more advanced degrees you have as in Master’s or higher the less chance of cognitive degeneration. So people with multiple grad degrees have been shown to be less prone to cognitive problems later in life. This is part of the use it or lose it philosophy to the issue the more active you stay mentally the better.

Supersizeit,

I do respect your opinion. I can understand your point of view and appreciate it.You more than certainly contribute to this board in all senses of the word. Your a good guy who has sincere beliefs in what he talks about. I am not a health nut as I type this with my throat swollen shut from some respiratory ailment intensified by chain smoking. LOL! Ironic, I guess?

I just started this article and am still defining terms in the form of neurotransmitters and such so we can be a little knowledgeable on the subject for the average Joe stumbling across this thread right now. I have a ton of work to do with this thread. It truly is a work in progress to say the least. In a few days I hope to get to the substances used in here both of man made and natural origin. I don’t want to leave out ginseng and other Asian herbs and botanicals that have been used in their medicine to help a patient out. These items just mentioned are the fruits of the earth in many senses of the word and therefore are more natural than some other substance made in Europe hidden away in a white blister pack just waiting for you.

I am not selling anything here, just raising an issue for discussion to people that may be interested. I think some of the guys in the board will learn from this discussion and be better informed from what they knew a few days ago on the subject. I say this with not caring which side of the issue they park themselves on.

Twatteaser,

No problem man, I think that in the very least the information you will distribute to us will be of educational value and I would particularly take interest in the natural substances you do research on. This is not mean that natural things are necessarily better or even safe, after-all Arsenic is totally natural but the stuff can kill you. I was just expressing a general view from the perspective of a health nut and I appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge it.
I think you are a good guy too! ;) and I enjoy reading all your posts.

If these drugs are supposed to make a person “smarter”, why the hell did the term “nootropics” come about?? Sounds like something from Telly Tubbies or some shit.

People who create shit love to get all fancy when naming something. So they go and look up words in a Greek Dictionary and threw some stuff together to get a mind turner. I guess these intellectuals have way too much time on their hands. I guess they didn’t no Assyrian or Egyptian enough to look all fancy. Seems latin was just too damn good for them to even contemplate wasting a word.

Supersizeit,

Thanks for the complements my friend. I hope you may find something of use coming from a natural origin to help you out. I wish I had the time, knowledge, and dedication that you have about fitness. I guess that is why you look a decade or two younger than what you are and I look a decade plus older than what I am. Yes I am slowly turning into a Race Bannon from Johnny Quest.