Smart Drug Smarts

Mind wandering is bad if you're operating a chainsaw. But if you're stuck on a well-defined intellectual problem, it could be just the ticket. Christine Godwin explains the latest research in...um...what was I just talking about? The post #210: Mind Wandering appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Can you be "addicted to Facebook"? And if so, is that much like being addicted to heroin? Two addiction researchers specializing in pharmacology and cyberpsychology weigh in. The post #209: Addiction – Old and New Schools appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

If genes are the "Book of You," then epigenetics are the dog-eared pages marking the parts you're interested in right now. Dr. Daniel Stickler explains how to use this active overlay on genetic information to your advantage. The post #208: Optimizing Epigenetics with Dr. Daniel Stickler appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Giving LSD to fruit flies sounds like a fraternity prank. But with the right tools, it could be an approach that helps unlock the brain's secrets in perception, mood, and even consciousness. The post #207: Bugs on Drugs appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Ayahuasca may mark the first time that a nausea-inducing beverage has gotten...popular. But there may be valid medical reasons why "Mother" Ayahuasca -- a brew featuring strong psychedelic effects -- is becoming well known outside the Brazilian jungle. Dr. Draulio Araujo explains. The post #206: Ayahuasca vs. Depression with Dr. Draulio Araujo appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Ambien is a well-known sleep aid, with over 40 million annual prescriptions in the US alone. It is not, however, a one-trick pony. Dr. Nick Bomalaski describes his review of numerous odd (and encouraging) examples of Ambien's effects on various neurological disorders. The post #205: Ambien Off-Label appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

A real-life scary story for Halloween: How nine healthy young hikers died suddenly, tragically, and mysteriously in 1959 in the Ural Mountains of Russia -- spawning five decades of questions and theories. The post #204: The Sense of Dread appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Moringa is a tropical tree that looks like it was designed by Dr. Seuss... But it yields leaves so nutrient-rich, it's hard to believe it's not better known. Dr. Jed Fahey explains. The post #203: Moringa with Dr. Jed Fahey appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Neurogastronomy is the most intellectual way to be a foodie. How do we taste and smell? And could scientists manipulate our taste to make brussels sprouts taste like cotton candy and vice versa? The post #202: What is Neurogastronomy? appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

The Cognito Awards continue, with Best Physical Vitality Hack, Best Performance by Technological Gear, and more! The post #201: The Cognito Awards, Part 2 appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

We celebrate our 200th episode by looking back at some high points of past Smart Drug Smarts episodes in an award-show format: the "Cognito Awards." The post #200: The Cognito Awards appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

The "MIND Diet" makes a strong claim in its very name. Is it the best nutritional strategy to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's Disease? Dr. Martha Morris explains. The post #199: The MIND Diet with Dr. Martha Morris appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Teens take risks. But they're not "just plain stupid." And according to Dr. Dan Romer - facing off against conventional wisdom and neuroscientific consensus - the risks they take may be "the right risks" to prepare for adulthood. The post #198: Wisdom and Risky Teens with Dr. Dan Romer appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Without the ability to think about thinking, how would you know if you're even thinking right? If the brain is the command center for the body, then metacognition is the control system for the command center. The post #197: Metacognition with Dr. Stephen Fleming appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

You wouldn't think to take LSD to fight atherosclerosis. But - strange though it may seem - psychedelic compounds may have still more hidden surprises: Powerful anti-inflammation properties that, in mice at least, show effects at psychologically invisible levels. The post #196: Psychedelics vs. Inflammation with Dr. Charles Nichols appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Domestication has changed ancestral wolves into hundreds of breeds of modern dogs. What has happened to their brains along the way? Meet the only purebred brains in the animal kingdom. The post #195: Dognition appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

You've got to have a pretty good reason to open your skull on purpose. Dr. Brett Wingeier designs such reasons. The post #194: Brain Implants – Medical and Beyond with Dr. Brett Wingeier appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

We know experts "make it look easy." What we want to know is how they got that way - and how we can too. And, for what it's worth, how easy are nearby domains for experts in a given field? The post #193: How Far Will Expertise Go? appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Alzheimer's Disease and male virility aren't often thought of together, but most people don't consider this a clue to preventing the much-feared disease. Maybe we should. Dr. Ralph Martins explains. The post #192: Testosterone vs. Alzheimer’s appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

How do you know where you are? How can you sense when you are lost? And what happens when your senses get conflicting info as reality "leaks" through imperfect Virtual Reality environments? The post #191: Finding Your Place with Dr. Mayank Mehta appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.