If you study the human body you start to realize that the use of drugs to fix or control disease is a brute force method of healing not far removed from the use of leaches to bleed patents as far back as the 3rd century AD. Even today, in what we call “modern medicine” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 approved the use of leeches for localized venous congestion post -surgery, recognizing them as a form of living, medical device. My point, is that as proud as we are of modern medicine, its really far behind where it should be. In my opinion it’s because we would rather use drugs to treat symptoms, rather than attacking the source of the problems that cause them.

I was recently disappointed to see that some of the salespeople in the exploding market selling “brain-enhancing” drugs are trying to rename pharmaceuticals as “nutraceuticals.” William Shakespeare’s famous line from Romeo and Juliet comes to mind…”A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. You can use famous spokespersons like Mayim Bialik, tout the beneficial results, and change the name but in the end you are still hocking drugs that force the body to change its chemistry in an unnatural way.

IF you don’t think that nutraceuticals are just drugs hiding under a fancy name just listen to the disclaimers after they are advertised on TV…bleeding, loss of appetite, confusion, leukemia, heart palpitations, explosive diarrhea….wow!! I gotta’ get me some of that!!!

It’s too bad that people can’t enhance their brains before they make the poor choice to purchase and take these dangerous drugs. And it not just drugs, neurostimulation devices that use magnetic and electrical signals to force neuronal pathways to operate in unnatural ways are being purchased in record numbers and the US Air Force has even been looking at direct electrical stimulation of the Vagal nerves in the neck. The researchers say that the only side effect is a “bad headache” but quickly pass that off as a “minor” inconvenience.

Despite the numerous bad product offerings available out there, there is hope. Recently a scientific team at Advanced Cognitive Concepts, LLC, a small research firm in Huntsville Alabama, announced the discovery of a completely natural method of regulating mental load though the eyes. Heart rate, chemical transport, respiration and other functions needed for the fight or flight response are normally regulated in the sympathetic nervous system. Inputs to that system are received through the senses (i.e., sight, sound, tough, etc.). By looking for those optical signals that the brain normally responds to in the regulation of fight or flight responses, the company was able to determine those signals that actively control mental load, even during the execution of mental and physical tasks. The result is the ability to focus better, perform better and learn faster, with less fatigue.

Optically-Stimulated Cognitive Load Regulation (OSCLR) can easily be delivered in two ways. First the company has a piece if software that can be downloaded onto your computer where it runs in the background providing the correct optical stimulation signal in the form of moving dots on each side of a computer display. It can also be used on web sites to reduce the mental load of site visitors. This improves the shopping experience and improves click through rates generating more sales. Second, the company offers a pair of smart gasses (COGS®) that provide the signal wherever you need it for improving sports performance, learning and retention, advertising, gaming and other tasks.. (See http://www.trycogs.com).

This discovery of a way to use some of the brain’s own language to improve mental and physical performance opens the door for a whole new era in human performance enhancement that does not have it’s roots in the dark age of medicine.