Almost regardless of age, sex, and occupation, we all want to enhance our abilities. Sure and sure when it comes to memory. And this without referring to those who do suffer from memory problems, or some of my acquaintances, who occasionally complain that they forgot something and that "age takes its toll"
So maybe the title is misleading and it is not a drug, but a molecule. And another one that is found in our body, especially when we grow and develop.
Almost regardless of age, sex, and occupation, we all want to enhance our abilities. Sure and sure when it comes to memory. And this without referring to those who do suffer from memory problems, or some of my acquaintances, who occasionally complain that they forgot something and that "age takes its toll". No wonder that the strengthening of the human memory capacity sounds desirable and is one of the most interesting research topics, in my opinion.
A mitogenic polypeptide (or - translated into normal language - a molecule that is a chain of amino acids, which encourage cells to react) called IGF-II, is one of the most important substances in our body for growth in general.
It turns out that the same IGF-II that is found throughout our body is also found in the brain of the normal adult, and especially in the important and special organ called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is important and interesting not only because it is one of the brain areas that I personally research in my doctoral research... The hippocampus has aroused and continues to arouse enormous interest over the past decades in brain science, and is known to be closely related to memory.
This molecule, IGF-2 is produced to a greater extent in the hippocampus, when learning occurs. Researchers from the "Mount Sinai" School of Medicine in New York, tested what happens to memories that happened after one "significant" event, in rats. The rats were put in a specific room where they received a mild electric shock to the legs. That's why they learned (with great right) to avoid the place where a painful event took place. It was found that in the brains of those rats that learned this, there was more IGF-II. When the researchers interfered with the process of creating IGF-II in the brains of rats that experienced the same experience, learning and remembering the avoidance of that painful place did not occur - in other words - the researchers created amnesia for this event.
When the researchers artificially added more IGF-2 to the hippocampus of the rats, memory was enhanced.
Oh! So have we found a simple way to enhance memories? From now on we can remember everything we want?
It is not that simple…
First of all - one of the interesting conclusions in the study is that memory enhancement only works when this molecule is added immediately after learning or very close to the event in which they learned, and not a day after that... that is, you have to receive the polypeptide in question right next to the learning event. And we may not always have IGF-II available next to the memory we most want to keep (like the first kiss... or grandma's delicious soup...)
But all is not lost - another interesting option that worked in the research and in which they succeeded in enhancing the memory was when the rats received IGF2 also during the retrieval phase of that memory, and this, because it is very possible that during the retrieval of information the same neural mechanisms that encode or record the information are reactivated.
So there are two "windows of time" to strengthen the memory - when you learn it, and when you remember it.
This molecule is essential for creating memories, and indeed the amount of IGF-II in the brain decreases as age increases.
So it can be said that those who complain to me about "age taking its toll..." find in the present study, at least partially, a scientific reference for this.
On the other hand, there is a way to enhance a memory - but we must - experience it again, in order to manipulate it with the help of the peptide in question. Even if theoretically we can now give IGF-2 to those who desire it, it will not make us suddenly remember what we have forgotten, but only what we have learned from now on or "we will come back and remember it again".
And is it really realistic to buy an IGF2 pill soon?
This is a preliminary study in rats, and not in humans, so the drug is still far from hitting our shelves.
But as a researcher of memory and also as a normal rememberer, it is good to know and learn about such developments and innovations, even if after a while I will forget that I even heard about it...
Dillon Y. Chen, Sarah A. Stern, Ana Garcia-Osta, Bernadette Saunier-Rebori, Gabriella Pollonini, Dhananjay Bambah-Mukku, Robert D. Blitz & Cristina M. Alberini. A critical role for IGF-II in memory consolidation and enhancement. Nature, 2011
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Not long ago I saw a program that explains that when there is a significant event and there is an increase in adrenaline levels, then the event is etched in the memory. That is, there are a number of substances that cause the effects of improving memory, perhaps in a different way.
In addition there are savants who remember almost every day of their lives, it is interesting to check if they have high levels of IGF2 or another substance, or if they are simply excellent catalogers.
It really seems that our strongest and deepest memories are related to emotional characteristics rather than rational ones. I remember Grandma's delicious soup, but what did we learn that week at school...
As a matter of fact. It is of course very important to know about this molecule, just as it is important for science to learn, understand and know everything, but on the surface it does not seem that this molecule can help Alzheimer's patients. When they find a molecule that can help them: this is the golden fleece!
"...the memory we most want to keep (like the first kiss... or grandma's delicious soup...)..."
"...the rats were put in a specific room where they received a mild electric shock to the legs..."
Note that everything here describes experiences that are subjectively linked to emotion!
1. First kiss - strong infatuation - a very powerful emotion!
2. Grandma's soup - motherly love and experiencing childhood again (even in an adult who drinks soup like his grandmother's from childhood) - also a very strong emotion.
3. A gentle electric shock (Aalek!!!) to the legs - a feeling of fear, anxiety and helplessness - very powerful feelings!
In short, I hope you understood my point!
So what was the article about? I can't remember! Satyaam this is the required board joke!
And seriously, so what are the operative steps resulting from all this new information? How can you take advantage of this knowledge and really put it into practice? I could not understand this from the article!
It says: "On the other hand, there is a way to enhance a memory - but we must - experience it again, in order to manipulate it with the help of the peptide in question." – If I don't remember the memory, how will I know that I need to experience it again? Actually what is said here is to rely on luck and chance!
In any case, I have learned from my experience that when any memory is associated with some specific emotional experience, it greatly strengthens the dichron, and the stronger the associated emotion, the stronger the recall!
Is there an alternative possibility to conduct an experiment of this kind that is not on the body of rats?
In other words:
If while learning (or while remembering) you are aware of the enormous importance of that information, your brain will secrete that material, and you will remember it all your life.
And now, a topic for research:
People who will have the same substance injected into their brains in the relevant location, will they experience such a feeling of concentration, a feeling of importance, and uplifting, as this happens naturally?
It is amazing to discover every time anew that the methods by which researchers in biology learn about the various systems are at the level of the third grade.. this science is not going to get far at this rate..
eat a lot of rat brains??
So where is this molecule in food?