Millions of people around the world use stimulants, not always safe. They are supposed to improve memory or remove fatigue. A real breakthrough is brewing in this field of pharmacology.
Poles spend nearly PLN 5 million on ginseng pills every year. We reach for preparations with guarana, L-carnitine, caffeine, lecithin and magnesium. They have almost no side effects, but their effectiveness - similar to energy drinks - is negligible. On the other hand, better-functioningstimulantsare burdened withside effects .
Nothing for free - side effects of stimulants
Thirsty for a high-speed life, we often reach for drugs, e.g. used in the treatment of hyperactivity disordermethylphenidate(Ritalin). Related to amphetamines and cocaine, it stimulates but leads to insomnia, weight loss and addiction. It also stimulates and improves memory galantamine (Reminyl), used by Alzheimer's patients. However, it can cause diarrhea and nausea.
Be sure to read: We bust the myths: ginkgo does not improve brain function
Modafinil (Vigil in Poland) is also fashionable, as it is registered as a drug for narcolepsy, i.e. paroxysmal sleepiness. It reduces the symptoms of fatigue and sleepiness also in he althy people. It is relatively safe, but not much more stimulating than coffee.
So all stimulants sooner or later start showing side effects. Euphoria must be paid for with fatigue, depression, dementia, often addiction, and even mental illness.
Light in the tunnel - new stimulant
Cortex Pharmaceuticals' preparation CX717 seems to be safe and effective. Animal trials have shown that it reduces sleepiness and allows the brain to exercise longer, more efficiently. Human experiments began a year and a half ago and showed that even a small dose of the drug significantly improves the functioning of the mind in people with sleep deficiencies. It was also found that the higher the dose, the greater the intellectual performance. The effects are visible one hour after taking the pill.
Importantly, no undesirable effects of, for example, amphetamines have been observed - fatigue, dementia, depression, palpitations. These problems do not exist because CX717 is much more precise than amphetamines. The latter is like a massive landingat the same time increases the level of dopamine, which gives a euphoric effect, and adrenaline and norepinephrine, which cause enormous agitation bordering on aggression. Meanwhile, CX717 only stimulates one neurotransmitter system and is therefore better tolerated. Importantly, it does not increase the amount of this transmitter, but it stimulates receptors on nerve cells through which it penetrates.
The new stimulant will not be addictive?
The more glutamate enters the cell, the faster the learning and the possibility of longer strenuous intellectual work. It is like replacing the processor with a much faster one in the computer, increasing the operating memory capacity and adding a second hard disk.
The chemical structure of the CX717 molecule precludes the emergence of physical dependence. However, the problem of psychological addiction will be open. After all, an experiment is known where the woman was given water, persuaded that it was morphine. She believed so strongly that after stopping her "treatment" she had symptoms typical of a drug addict.
Memory stimulation
The preparation CX 717 opens the door to mental performance. Stimulating the AMPA receptors of glutamate strengthens the nerve signal in the neuron, which is why memory is so effective. Of the "boosters", only CX717 and galantamine stimulate a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which plays an important role in learning and memory.
monthly "Zdrowie"