Cognitive Enhancement Weekly is a weekly email covering the latest news, events, journal articles and other content related to cognitive enhancement, nootropics, biohacking and neuroscience. If you want to get this in your inbox every Sunday, you can subscribe here.
This week includes a new book on the impact of nutrition on cognitive performance, the future role of performance enhancement on the battlefield, and why you should check your terms and conditions before embedding a chip into your skin.
Books
Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power
Dr. Lisa Mosconi’s book on improving brain function through nutrition has just been released. The book includes recipes, a nutrition plan, and health assessments. Looking forward to reviewing it later.
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Food-Surprising-Science-Cognitive/dp/0399573992/ref=sr_1_1
News
Performance Enhancers: From Battlefield to Playing Field
Fascinating look at the history of performance enhancing drugs on the battlefield and what the next generation of enhancement might look like: robotic exoskeletons and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Also interesting is how the Australian Defense Force is using WADA as a jumping off point for research and policy definition.
Pill may be able to mimic the effects of exercise without having to run a single step
Compounds 516 and 14, referred to in the article, may mimic the effects of exercise by triggering a specific genetic circuit allowing patients to gain exercise-related benefits from those unable to exercise. Researchers are targeting specific kinds of muscular dystrophy and sclerosis as a path to regulatory approval, but the possibility of abuse is obvious.
Take Your Pills, Netflix — the highs and lows of ‘brain-hacking’
The FT has a take on the new Netflix documentary, “Take Your Pills,” exposing the impact of Adderall society on students. “Take Your Pills” is available on March 16th.
https://www.ft.com/content/146c23c6-238d-11e8-add1-0e8958b189ea
New Doccie Delves Deep Into America’s Massive Pharmaceutical Industry
Another Netflix documentary on doping in sport won an Oscar last weekend. “Icarus” details the Russian doping scandal and it’s pretty explosive. No one should be surprised, of course. Some of the most effective performance and cognitive enhancers are based on Russian and Soviet research.
Six Things You Learn When You Go Deep on Microbiome Research
This is a bit of a different take on biohacking, with a focus on your microbiome – the bacterial world that resides inside you. But regardless of what the article suggests, don’t start showering without soap.
https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/gut-health-microbiome-what-to-know/
The Cybernetic Implant That Attunes You to the Earth’s Poles
How useful would it be to know where magnetic north is? Useful enough to warrant a painful and invasive surgery? Then I’ve got the cyborg implant for you!
http://www.surfacemag.com/articles/north-sense-cybernetic-implant/
Would You Ditch the Gym for a Biohacking Facility?
In another spin-off of the Bulletproof brand, Bulletproof Labs is the company’s first biohacking facility located in Santa Monica. The approach is technology-heavy but appears to lack much in the way of technology rigor.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/359203/would-you-ditch-the-gym-for-a-biohacking-facility
Authorities Deactivate Transit Pass Implanted In Biohacker’s Hand
“Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow cut a chip out of a travel card, encased it in biocompatible plastic, and implanted it under the skin on his left hand.” That clearly violated terms of use and it was disabled.
https://www.coherentnews.com/authorities-deactivate-transit-pass-implanted-in-biohackers-hand/
