Cosmetic Neurology. When do you see it becoming a subspeciality?

[Techmonkey]

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With people already taking Ritalin and Provigil when do/will you see cosmetic neurology becoming a recognised subspeciality?

Should you be able to buy better spatial awareness, better reflexes or an eidetic memory? Ethical debates talk about widening gaps between the rich and the poor or it being some unfair advantage. Don't wealthier people already have access to better education/opportunities in most places? Should we ban nutritional/body-building supplements because they are unfair? Could this be extrapolated to a good diet? Or is it just a case of not upsetting the status quo?

I understand there are safety concerns due to the side effects but how much of it should be left to informed choice? We consciously smoke or take alcohol so if there was a drug that improved memory but increased the rates of stroke should patients be allowed to take it considering smoking does the same?

 

[Methyldopa]

We consciously smoke or take alcohol so if there was a drug that improved memory but increased the rates of stroke should patients be allowed to take it considering smoking does the same?

The more relevant question is what are you smoking????


Cosmetic neurology? What the heck is that???

 

[BlackNDecker]

With people already taking Ritalin and Provigil when do/will you see cosmetic neurology becoming a recognised subspeciality?

I read about a study in Scientific American: Mind where flight school students were randomly divided and given either Donepezil or placebo. 6 months after graduating, the students were retested and those taking Donepezil retained more info and scored an avg. of 40% higher than those taking placebo.

 

[Methyldopa]

I read about a study in Scientific American: Mind where flight school students were randomly divided and given either Donepezil or placebo. 6 months after graduating, the students were retested and those taking Donepezil retained more info and scored an avg. of 40% higher than those taking placebo.

Interesting study. But why didn't I know of this before starting med school???

 

[Bonobo]

The more relevant question is what are you smoking????


Cosmetic neurology? What the heck is that???

See Sep 2004 and Apr 2005 Neurology. Cosmetic neurology is the idea that we can enhance various cognitive functions in a scientific and clinical manner--not unlike doing breast enlargements or nose jobs. A futuristic image of a cosmetic neurology clinic visit might entail getting a sleep study and fMRI leading to a formulation of behavioral recommendations, prescriptions for meds like ritalin, provigil, aricept, etc, and then monitoring for drug side effects and cognitive improvement assessed by various cognitive tests. The ethics surrounding this idea is enormous and interesting. Imagine sending your college kid to a cosmetic neurologist before he takes the MCAT. Is that fair? The main message in the article is that the field is coming, and it is time to discuss this.

B

 

[Methyldopa]

See Sep 2004 and Apr 2005 Neurology. Cosmetic neurology is the idea that we can enhance various cognitive functions in a scientific and clinical manner--not unlike doing breast enlargements or nose jobs. A futuristic image of a cosmetic neurology clinic visit might entail getting a sleep study and fMRI leading to a formulation of behavioral recommendations, prescriptions for meds like ritalin, provigil, aricept, etc, and then monitoring for drug side effects and cognitive improvement assessed by various cognitive tests. The ethics surrounding this idea is enormous and interesting. Imagine sending your college kid to a cosmetic neurologist before he takes the MCAT. Is that fair? The main message in the article is that the field is coming, and it is time to discuss this.

B

People have always tried to get an edge when it comes to intelligence, whether taking herbal supplements or eating fish (food for the brain). In my opinion, intelligence is not solely based on memorizing facts, but really in the application of this knowledge. And that is a far too complex process for any medication to help improve.

 

[Techmonkey]

People have always tried to get an edge when it comes to intelligence, whether taking herbal supplements or eating fish (food for the brain). In my opinion, intelligence is not solely based on memorizing facts, but really in the application of this knowledge. And that is a far too complex process for any medication to help improve.

Well the point of the trials was to show that it IS possible to enhance memory. As for intelligence it depends on how we wish to define it. I've always thought it to be an umbrella term for grouping particular sets of mental skills. Does being able to juggle complex math make one more intelligent than someone able to memorize a great deal easily?

 

[suburbanite]

A few thoughts:

This "cosmetic medicine" doesn't sound very profitable or interesting. What would the work-up be?
Patient: "I want Provigil, doctor."
Neurologist: "Here is your prescription."

As for a panel of tests assessing a pt for their particular intelligence-supplementation needs, right now this would consist of neuropsychiatric and IQ testing. Nothing really new there, and as interesting as this field may be, it is not very viable fiscally.

What might be interesting would be finding a way to make use of new functional imaging technologies in conjunction with this - fMRI, PET. These studies are mostly research-based right now. But can we imagine using fMRI to see how a pt's brain responds to a series of challenges, and in what areas of the brain? Or using MRI or PET to quantify brain volume or activity in targeted areas. All of this could create for a pt an individualized "neuropyshiologic profile", providing information about their basic neuro-functional makeup.

But toward what end - to decide whether to prescribe Provigil or Ritalin? To satisfy self-curiosity in extremely megalomaniacal people? Hard to say that it could conceivably even add much to the utility of neuropsych testing right now.

Still it is intriguing to envision the possibilities. I don't see there being much demand for these services though. Maybe, though, in today's academic-acheivement-obsessed culture...

 

[PublicHealth]

A futuristic image of a cosmetic neurology clinic visit might entail getting a sleep study and fMRI leading to a formulation of behavioral recommendations, prescriptions for meds like ritalin, provigil, aricept, etc, and then monitoring for drug side effects and cognitive improvement assessed by various cognitive tests.

Umm...this sounds like an ordinary neurology clinic, except usage of diagnostic tests is usually symptom specific. I would imagine if neurologically healthy people pay out-of-pocket for these tests and medications, then it's more like 'cosmetic neurology.'

Some drug companies are already looking into memory enhancing medications for healthy people.

 

[lateness]

Umm...this sounds like an ordinary neurology clinic, except usage of diagnostic tests is usually symptom specific. I would imagine if neurologically healthy people pay out-of-pocket for these tests and medications, then it's more like 'cosmetic neurology.'

Some drug companies are already looking into memory enhancing medications for healthy people.

i agree. plus intelligence is also has genetic factors, as well as other factors which are always creating and recreating themselves, i dont see the specialty telling things people should already know about themselves, i mean their thought processes..