Posted by JLx on November 26, 2003, at 18:30:06
In reply to Re: Aaacckk! Same results too (nm) » Larry Hoover, posted by tealady on November 25, 2003, at 16:57:23
Just ran across this in this article by James South, http://smart-drugs.net/ias-attentiondeficit.htm
"An important objective measurement of impaired concentration and alertness is the EEG (electroencephalogram) record. In 1991 J. Lubar published his results of 15 years of EEG research on ADD subjects. Comparing ADD children to normal controls, he discovered that ADD children "...produce excessive theta activity in the 4-8 Hz [cycles/second] range and were particularly deficient in beta [14 Hz and above] production .... Specifically, increased theta activity was obtained in many [brain regions] particularly frontal and centrally .... Decreased beta activity was found in many frontal and temporal locations." (74) EEG is a measure of brain electrical activity. Theta (slow wave activity) is typical of deeply sedated mental states, while beta is associated with concentration and focused mental activity. Saletu and Grunberger report that "Human brain function as measured by ... [EEG] shows significant alterations in normal and pathological aging characterized by an increase of [slow wave] delta and theta activity and a decrease of alpha and … beta [fast wave] activity…. These changes are indicative of deficits in the vigilance regulatory systems. By the term vigilance we [mean] the …dynamic state of total neural activity [remember - concentration is a whole brain activity] …. Elderly subjects with bad memory exhibit slower [EEG] activity and less … beta activity than those with good memory …. nootropic drugs such as … vincamine alkaloids [vinpocetine & vincamine] induce interestingly just oppositional changes [to the age-related slowing of EEG waves] in human brain function, thereby improving vigilance [and attention]." (75) Two things follow from this:
1) both the normal and pathological aging brain become more and more like an ADD child's brain; and
2) Vinpocetine can reverse these ADD-like brain states to more normal alert and attentive brain states!"
We become more ADD-like as we age? Have you ever tried vinpocetine? I didn't see too much about it on this board. I see it's not prohibitively expensive.
I was really dismayed at my decreased memory and ability to learn recently taking the tax class. I never felt so slow and lousy at something where I tried so hard. Very scary. (I'm 49)
poster:JLx
thread:280763
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031122/msgs/284233.html