“Forgetfulness is a common failing of old age that patent medicines once promised to cure. Some drugs in development are designed to help people with Alzheimer's disease or other brain disorders”(Marshall). In the article A Star-Studded Search for Memory-Enhancing Drugs by Marshall Eliot, explains Alzheimer’s disease, brain disease and memory drug development. With an increased of importance to develop a new way that target serious diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, memory enhancement drugs are becoming a growing business. These same drugs are also creating a huge controversy over the benefits and dangers this enhancers may cause to society. In this essay I will be discussing the benefits of memory enchantments to Alzheimer's patients. As well as the disadvantages to society, when taking these drugs as "performance enhancers" to gain a competitive advantage in the workplace. Using Marshall article I will show the importance of memory enhancements in Alzheimer patients.
“ Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks" (Webster dictionary). This type of disease cause an urgency for a cure or enhancement of the memory. In the book “the memory book” by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas, gives more of a natural way to enhance the memory. By training your memory developing a system to remember names, numbers, foreign languages/phases, reading faster and even sports play. There’s also a ton of games you can download on any smartphone, computer or tablets that can help enhance the memory as well. Although these methods are great but how beneficial can this be to someone that already has Alzheimer’s? And this is where the drugs come in, a enhancement extremely beneficial to someone that’s already suffering from memory loss. The search of a “Viagra for the brain” as stated by Sandel (p14) targeting and reversing the memory loss. Although many of these drugs are still in the making, this does not have any negative impact on the growth of pharmaceuticals company’s. In fact this field is bombing when it comes to memory enhancements according to Sandel(14) and Marshall. The thought of a love one who suffers from any form a dementia being cured, to remembering a grand child's name or even what they ate for breakfast, leaves a sense of hope in families. The benefits to these enhancements doesn't just stop at helping towards Alzheimer’s “but it also aim to treat vascular dementia, schizophrenia, depression, and common age-related memory loss” as well based on Marshall article. Marshall also mention " treating stroke and neurodegenerative diseases" in his article, in a world full of brain disease and conditions that causes brain disease like strokes, these enhancers serve a serious affect on people with memory loss dealing with their day to day activities to normal tasks. Such as cooking, cleaning and getting dress for example it is common to get dress in the morning but it is less common when you forget where you are going or leaving a pot on a stove and forgetting that you cooked. Memory enhancement drugs, is something that mellows the "darkside" of aging. Although Alzheimer's is the most common form dementia, memory loss can be due to other causes such as lack sleep, stress, depression, alcohol and drugs uses and even some thyroid problems. Finding a memory enhancer to cure the most common dementia can actually relieve a person from other causes of memory loss as well according to secondopion-tv.org.
There is another name for these enhancer giving by society called "smart drug". The "smart drug" has many concerns and questions on the impact it can possible cause on non ill people . In the book "A case against perfect" Sandel expresses his concern on memory enhancement for non ill people. Sandel stated "Unlike a treatment for Alzheimer's, it would cure no disease " (14). "It could also have purely non medical uses " (14). Sandel uses the workforce as an example "by a lawyer cramming to memorize facts for an upcoming trail, or by a business executive eager to learn Mandrian on the eve of his departure for Shanghai " (14). Using memory enhancers drugs or "smart drugs" as an non-medical purpose can cause an unfair advantage over peeps at work or school over people who do not use drugs. Many may also develop an addiction to these drugs just like any other drug over time. The need for having an advantage at work or school, being the number one pick, top leader or memorizing things such as a foreign languages within a short period of time, can not be done with one time uses. According to secondopion-tv.org amplifying your memory is not that far off from an athlete who uses drugs to amplify their performance. Secondopion-tv.org questions the purpose of the enhancers ".. to help those who are sick or to improve the quality of the life of those who are health?". If enhancements are banned from sports shouldn't memory enhancements for non medical purpose be ban as well? How far will people on to get their hands on these drugs? Fake an illness to get a head? What happen to those who can not afford this treatment?
Personally being against mostly all forms of enhancers due to side effects, disadvantages and human nature, I am for memory enhancements. One of the importance reason for myself, is that there are little to no side effects. There are only a hand full of memory enhancement drugs, even though it is a growing industry, many have no side effects. Another reason would have to be a personal one, the love of my grandmother or as i like to call her my gma. The thought of her forgetting my name or finding her wondering the streets alone and distraught like many aging people with a form of dementia, would not be a pleasant thought for myself. Although these drugs may be a disadvantages in society when people with non medical use are using them for some sort of advantage, these drugs would be a great benefit to a serious, top common disease and over time with great development can put an ended to memory loss alone other brain diseases.
Tyeast--excellent topic and you have done great research! Will work on helping you organize today.
ReplyDeleteTyeast--excellent topic and you have done great research! Will work on helping you organize today.
ReplyDeleteENG101
DeleteProfessor. PHYLLIS VAN SLYCK
Date:5/5/.2016
Nan Yan
Genetically modified food
Do you know genetically modified food(GMO)? Do you think it good for our health or not? Genetically modified food are derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organisms. There are lots of GMO in our daily lives such as soy, tomato, papaya and so forth. Comparing with organic food, GMO are much cheaper in the supermarket. Thus, a lot of people choose the GMO as their daily food; however, do they really know the GMO well?
There are researches show that GMO could pose numerous health risks. First, changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. (73) ”GM soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice. If GMO also impairs human’s digestion, we may become sensitive and allergic to a variety of foods,’ (76) ) American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) use the effects of GMO on animals to explain the sever impact on organs and gastrointestinal system. Besides, having GMO can cause infertility. “Mice fed GM corn had fertility problems and smaller babies. By the third generation, most hamsters fed GM soy were unable to have babies and suffer high infant mortality; some had hair growing in their mouth,” AAEM use the bad effect on animals to reveal the influence on infertility. Furthermore, GMOs harm the environment. Institute for responsible technology demonstrate that GM crops and their associated herbicides can harm birds, insects, amphibians, marine ecosystems, and soil organisms. They reduce bio-diversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable. For example, GM crops are eliminating habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations are down 50% in the US. Roundup herbicide has been shown to cause birth defects in amphibians, embryonic deaths and endocrine disruptions, and organ damage in animals even at very low doses. GM canola has been found growing wild in North Dakota and California, threatening to pass on its herbicide tolerant genes on to weeds.
Every coin has two sides. There is also benefit of GMO. Genetic modifications increase biomass and bioethanol production. Creating plants also better resistant to weeds, pest and other diseases; such as corn. According to the book ”Genetic Engineering,” the researchers also find that the use of farming practices that prevent soil erosion, higher profits for farmers, and less fungal contamination.
Despite the fact that GMO have the benefit, the bad influence of GMO cannot be ignored. I cannot imagine if people eat GMO every day, how weak their gastrointestinal system will be. I also cannot imagine if people have GMO every day, their third generation will have hair growing in their mouth. How does their third generation face their appearance? Hence, I appeal we should not choose GMO as our daily food and tell everyone the bad influence on us.
Work cited
Erik Vance, “Genetically Modified Conservation.” Comservation Magazine, vol. 11, no.3 ,July/September 2010.