A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory, Role of Layer 6 of V2 Visual Cortex in Object-Recognition Memory Options

[kortikal]

Imagine if you could look at something once and remember it forever. You would never have to ask for directions again. Now a group of scientists has isolated a protein that mega-boosts your ability to remember what you see.

A group of Spanish researchers reported today in Science that they may have stumbled upon a substance that could become the ultimate memory-enhancer. The group was studying a poorly-understood region of the visual cortex. They found that if they boosted production of a protein called RGS-14 (pictured) in that area of the visual cortex in mice, it dramatically affected the animals' ability to remember objects they had seen.

Mice with the RGS-14 boost could remember objects they had seen for up to two months. Ordinarily the same mice would only be able to remember these objects for about an hour.

The researchers concluded that this region of the visual cortex, known as layer six of region V2, is responsible for creating visual memories. When the region is removed, mice can no longer remember any object they see.

If this protein boosts visual memory in humans, the implications are staggering. In their paper, the researchers say that it could be used as a memory-enhancer – which seems like an understatement. What's particularly intriguing is the fact that this protein works on visual memory only. So as I mentioned earlier, it would be perfect for mapping. It would also be useful for engineers and architects who need to hold a lot of visual images in their minds at once. And it would also be a great drug for detectives and spies.

Could it also be a way to gain photographic memory? For example, if I look at a page of text will I remember the words perfectly? Or will I simply remember how the page looked?

I can't see much of a downside for this potential drug, unless the act of not forgetting what you see causes problems or trauma.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/325/5936/87

[x_danny_x]

i saw that, what they are basically talking about is something close to Photographic Memory.


Photographic Memory have people remembering things that everybody else with a normal brain could not remember years ago or exactly at that precise moment and time for a whole bunch of things.


this could be the closest thing to Photographic Memory.

[GodConsciousness]

Sounds very interesting. The role of proteins and amino acids in the brain will likely be a fruitful area of research and development for some years to come.

[CrispyCat]

Amazing possibility's!
forgive my lack of scientific knowledge but would anyone know of a source of this protine?
(short of nibbling on animal brains/visual cortex's)
or is it something that can only be created in a lab?
(im guessing dosage would require higher amounts than any natural source or the source would already be considered a super supplement/food)

[sunshinefrost]

I can't see much of a downside for this potential drug, unless the act of not forgetting what you see causes problems or trauma.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/325/5936/87

i can't read abstracts either.... it's a drug ?? Can humans boost rgs14 ? if not how can you express this protein (RGS14) into layer 6 neurons ???

[sunshinefrost]

found the protein .... but can we use this ?

http://www.abnova.com/products/products_de...01&PageID=4#loc

[code buttons]

I can't see much of a downside for this potential drug, unless the act of not forgetting what you see causes problems or trauma.

I can. What about events better off forgotten? What about memory overload?

[x_danny_x]

damn, that is very expensive. that drug better work for whoever buys it. better than anything you can buy.

also is there any evidence that this works on humans to the same degree or at all?

[sunshinefrost]

what's the route of administration for this ?

[kagaos]

Have to bump this...very interested in more responses.

[maximus242]

Id like to see what lucid has to say about this

[SL]

So did anyone try to order this? How is it possible to start taking this protein?

[Nox]

I can't see much of a downside for this potential drug, unless the act of not forgetting what you see causes problems or trauma.

I can. What about events better off forgotten? What about memory overload?

Hypothetically, the human brain has an infinite storage capacity. There are people around who have near eidetic memory, and their memory is not being overlapped (see: Kim Peek - his problems are from autism)

Sure some people say things are better off forgotten but I am willing to take the chance for a eidetic memory and withstand some pain of remembering everything.

[IanA87]

Sadly, I don't believe anyone is willing to inject a person with this lentivirus. Who knows what would happen in a person... such an experiment could prove fatal. I think it will be many years before we see any sort of trials with a person. If such a time is to come, I would be first in line to be the guinea pig. If there is a 50% chance of it working, I'm willing to risk a lot.

[KoolK3n]

Sadly, I don't believe anyone is willing to inject a person with this lentivirus. Who knows what would happen in a person... such an experiment could prove fatal. I think it will be many years before we see any sort of trials with a person. If such a time is to come, I would be first in line to be the guinea pig. If there is a 50% chance of it working, I'm willing to risk a lot.

Okay so it's been over 2 years since this topic thread started....so has anyone tried it yet?

[Flex]

Over expressing RGS-14 in our brains? Not I.

[IanA87]

I'd try it if I knew how or knew someone who would try it on me .

[GreekPhysique]

Yeah has anyone tried this. I would really like to know if anyone has heard of or has knowledge of a human trying this?

I have also read articles that suppression of the rgs14 protein also makes mice smarter, so i'm not quite sure how it works. As I understand it supplementation of rgs14 increases visual memory in the short-term and long-term, but suppresses neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, thus learning in the hippocampus, which is associated with declarative memory and autobiographical memory. Conversely, supression of the rgs14 actually made mice smarter by allowing them to naviagate mazes faster and find the secret exit quicker. The general trend I am picking up from my research is that suppression of the rgs14 protein is better. What is everyone else's thoughts?

[mban]

Yeah has anyone tried this. I would really like to know if anyone has heard of or has knowledge of a human trying this?

I have also read articles that suppression of the rgs14 protein also makes mice smarter, so i'm not quite sure how it works. As I understand it supplementation of rgs14 increases visual memory in the short-term and long-term, but suppresses neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, thus learning in the hippocampus, which is associated with declarative memory and autobiographical memory. Conversely, supression of the rgs14 actually made mice smarter by allowing them to naviagate mazes faster and find the secret exit quicker. The general trend I am picking up from my research is that suppression of the rgs14 protein is better. What is everyone else's thoughts?

I can't post links yet so hopefully you can follow this (search it in google): doi:10.1073/pnas.1005362107

What I can gather is that the RGS14 protein is differentially expressed in different brain regions and has different signal transduction pathways based on the location of expression. I.e. If an exogenous source of RSG14 were to get into the brain, it would cause differing effects based on where is was acting.

The main thing to consider here is that we are talking about a complex protein which cannot be taken orally as it would be broken down by digestive enzymes secreted from the pancreas. So it would A) need to be injected through IV, somehow be protected from breakdown in the blood from endogenous peptidases found in plasma, C) cross the blood brain barrier, which is a damn near impossible feat for a protein unless it has a specific transporter, and finally D) act specifically on the brain area necessary for increased memory storage, and in no other region.

Also realize that we are talking about studies in rats/mice, which may or may not translate to humans.

If anyone is curious, from what I gather the RGS14 protein acts to insert itself in cellular membranes and mop up alpha subunits of the stimulatory Gs cAMP cascade, so it would therefore decrease expression of proteins necessary for consolidation of memory. In relation to what GreekPhysique said above, inhibition of the RGS14 protein in the hippocampus would therefore lead to increased protein phosphorylation through the cAMP pathway.

[Lipsie]

Yeah wondering about the current state of affairs as well, any news?

[JsMill]

I'd like to second mban. Oral administration is of proteins/amino acids is basically a non-starter-- ways to protect these compounds in a way that makes them biologically viable is an ongoing research concern (i.e. not solved yet).

Furthermore, even if taken by IV, you'd need to find a way to cross the blood/brain barrier, avoid breakdown in the brain itself, and ensure uptake into only the target area (most substances that are chemically active somewhere in the brain are chemically active elsewhere as well).

While this is a very intriguing substance, having it in humanly usable form any time soon is unlikely.

[CandyTon]

Can we consider another approach to get RGS-14, like cloning its gene structure? If so, could this help---human RGS14 ORF clone?

[wyzandrea]

This technique is available for mice, rats and rabbits. Our microinjection services are adapted for fast and secured transgenic animal model creation, and available for a variety of strains background, for instance C57BL/6, FVB, or CB6F2 mice, as well as Sprague Dawley rats.
From Creative Animodel.

[David Smith]

Photographic Memory have people remembering things that everybody else with a normal brain could not remember years ago or exactly at that precise moment and time for a whole bunch of things.

[Elite Test 360]

Sound good. I would like to order this elite test 360

[Joey Lawrence]

Interesting, I am suffering a bad memory all the time, especially when I go out for somewhere, it's a ten minutes walk, but I will take about one hour, that's really terrible. I know proteins in our body are owning their special function to make our body healthy, and proteins could be expressed in vitro (could be seen on:Protein-Antigen-Expression-Service section on Creative Diagnostics ) for large scale, and I find that there are polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies (RGS-14 antibody ) and RGS-14 peptide. If that is found to be true, I am looking forward to something could be used on myself to get me out of the situation.

[Joey Lawrence]

Sounds very nice, aha, I can't control my exciting...