I did a high-level exploration of the field a few years ago. It was rushed and optimized more for getting it out there than rigor and comprehensiveness, but hopefully still a decent starting point.
I personally think you’d wanna first look at the dozens of molecules known to improve one or another aspect of cognition in diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia), that were never investigated for mind enhancement in healthy adults.
Given that some of these show very promising effects (and are often literally approved for cognitive enhancement in diseased populations), given that many of the best molecules we have right now were initially also just approved for some pathology (e.g. methylphenidate, amphetamine, modafinil), and given that there is no incentive for the pharmaceutical industry to conduct clinical trials on healthy people (FDA etc. do not recognize healthy enhancement as a valid indication), there seems to even be a sort of overhang of promising molecule candidates that were just never rigorously tested for healthy adult cognitive enhancement.
Thanks. Seems worth looking into more. I googled the first few on your list, and they’re all described as working via some neurotransmitter / receptor type, either agonist / antagonist / reuptake inhibition. Not everything on the list is like that (I recognize gingko biloba as being related to blood flow). But I don’t think these sorts of things would stack at all, or even necessarily help much with someone who isn’t sick / has some big imbalance or whatever.
My hope for something like this existing is a bit more specific. It comes from thinking that there should be small levers with large effects, because natural development probably pulls some such levers which activate specific gene regulatory networks at different points—e.g. first we pull the [baby-type brain lever], then the [5 year old brain lever], etc.
I did a high-level exploration of the field a few years ago. It was rushed and optimized more for getting it out there than rigor and comprehensiveness, but hopefully still a decent starting point.
I personally think you’d wanna first look at the dozens of molecules known to improve one or another aspect of cognition in diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia), that were never investigated for mind enhancement in healthy adults.
Given that some of these show very promising effects (and are often literally approved for cognitive enhancement in diseased populations), given that many of the best molecules we have right now were initially also just approved for some pathology (e.g. methylphenidate, amphetamine, modafinil), and given that there is no incentive for the pharmaceutical industry to conduct clinical trials on healthy people (FDA etc. do not recognize healthy enhancement as a valid indication), there seems to even be a sort of overhang of promising molecule candidates that were just never rigorously tested for healthy adult cognitive enhancement.
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/hGY3eErGzEef7Ck64/mind-enhancement-cause-exploration
Appendix C includes a list of ‘almost deployable’ candidates:
Amantadine, Amisulpride, Amphetamine (incl. dexamphetamine, levoamphetamine) Aripiprazole. Armodafinil, Atomoxetine, Brexiprazole, Bupropion Carbidopa-levodopa, Clonidine, Desvenlaflaxine, Donepezil, Duloxetine, Entacapone, Folic acid, Galantamine, Gingko Biloba, Guanfacine, Istradefylline, Ketamine, Lisdexamphetamine, Memantine, Methamphetamine, Methylphenidate (incl. dexmethylphenidate), Modafinil, Opicapone, Piracetam, Pitolisant, Pramipexole, Rasagiline, Reboxetine, Rivastigmine, Ropinirole, Rotigotine, Safinamide, Selegiline, Sodium oxybate, Tacrine, Tolcapone, Venlafaxine, Viloxazine, Vortioxetine
Thanks. Seems worth looking into more. I googled the first few on your list, and they’re all described as working via some neurotransmitter / receptor type, either agonist / antagonist / reuptake inhibition. Not everything on the list is like that (I recognize gingko biloba as being related to blood flow). But I don’t think these sorts of things would stack at all, or even necessarily help much with someone who isn’t sick / has some big imbalance or whatever.
My hope for something like this existing is a bit more specific. It comes from thinking that there should be small levers with large effects, because natural development probably pulls some such levers which activate specific gene regulatory networks at different points—e.g. first we pull the [baby-type brain lever], then the [5 year old brain lever], etc.