This plant, what can't it do.
October 14, 2005 9:50 AM   Subscribe

Here are three things that can help your brain grow new cells.
It's no wonder college makes you smarter.
posted by Mr_Zero (33 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite


 
Yeah, take that, AA!
posted by cmonkey at 10:05 AM on October 14, 2005


HAHAHAH.
posted by delmoi at 10:06 AM on October 14, 2005


Well, now I know what I'm doing this weekend.
posted by birdherder at 10:07 AM on October 14, 2005


Also, I always thought Alchohol kills brain cells. Is that true at all? What's the deal?
posted by delmoi at 10:07 AM on October 14, 2005


1. "Stimulates cell growth" is in some senses the same as "probably causes cancer."

2. In sufficient quantity, alcohol will kill anything.
posted by rxrfrx at 10:10 AM on October 14, 2005


Drinking alcohol boosts the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, research suggests.

But while this might sound good in theory, the Swedish team believe these new cells could contribute to the development of alcohol dependence.


This just proves my theory that pot > alcohol. The brain cells grown in response to THC intake are probably all about eating Hostess cupcakes and watching "Samurai Champloo" while pulling massive mayonnaise bong hits.
posted by wakko at 10:13 AM on October 14, 2005


What's the deal?

Just about anything in sufficient quantities will kill brain cells. There's a world of difference between in vitro and in vivo.

Then again, "sure drinking kills brain cells, but just the weak ones."
posted by PurplePorpoise at 10:14 AM on October 14, 2005


"You mean there was no deep fat? No steak or cream pies or... hot fudge?"
Dr. Aragon: [chuckling] "Those were thought to be unhealthy... precisely the opposite of what we now know to be true. "
---- Woody Allen, Sleeper (1973)
posted by QuietDesperation at 10:14 AM on October 14, 2005


I've been saying it for years, man, smoking weed makes your mind expand.

So, if I'm stoned and drunk and balling, does that mean I'm getting smarter too? That's awesome! I love the new multi-tasking!
posted by fenriq at 10:16 AM on October 14, 2005


All I know is that smoking pot means you can get to work the next day just fine and alot easier than getting wasted on alcohol. Not that I know from experience...trade one chemical happiness for another!
posted by evilelvis at 10:21 AM on October 14, 2005


All we need now is a study saying Rock N Roll makes your brain grow and life will be perfect...
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:24 AM on October 14, 2005


While any one of those in isolation may indeed lead to brain growth, all three in combination likely do not.

Exhibit A: frat boy
posted by pmbuko at 10:27 AM on October 14, 2005


pmbuko: The reason why the frat boy does not experience brain growth, despite partaking in booze, pot, and coitus, is because of a very specific and highly destructive reactant known as "The Dave Matthews Band," which - and this has been conclusively proven in numerous studies - denigrates the intelligence of all listeners.
posted by billysumday at 10:32 AM on October 14, 2005


if we have sex and drugs covered for brain growth then rock n' roll should be a shoe-in.
posted by unImprinted at 10:32 AM on October 14, 2005


This would explain the Crunk renaissance we've been seeing in hip-hop.
posted by mullingitover at 10:42 AM on October 14, 2005


Exhibit A: frat boy

I think that is more likely due to the fact, that frat boys tend to fall into the "can't polish a turd" category.
posted by Mr_Zero at 10:47 AM on October 14, 2005


"The Dave Matthews Band," ... denigrates the intelligence of all listeners.

So much so that they use "denigrate" when they mean something more like "degrade?"
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:47 AM on October 14, 2005


Meanwhile, TV watching has been shown to be a major Alzheimer's risk factor.

Maybe frat boys counterbalance the mind-expanding effects of beer, pot, and sex by watching TV.
posted by troutfishing at 10:49 AM on October 14, 2005


Dude, I'm so smart right now.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:52 AM on October 14, 2005


I am going to be SO SMART.

... Someday.
posted by blacklite at 10:55 AM on October 14, 2005


Wow, running low on brain cells. Time to go stock up.
posted by rks404 at 10:55 AM on October 14, 2005


What can I say? I've heard a few of there songs...

D'oh! their songs...
posted by billysumday at 11:03 AM on October 14, 2005


Does this mean we should start calling dope something, you know, smarter sounding? Because I always hated calling it dope.
posted by fenriq at 11:19 AM on October 14, 2005


I thought "dope" was used more for heroin than for pot.
posted by wakko at 11:24 AM on October 14, 2005


Does this mean we should start calling dope something, you know, smarter sounding?

Dude, you wanna go smoke some smart?
posted by Pollomacho at 11:25 AM on October 14, 2005


I'm most familiar with nicotine-induced brain growth, but a similar process probably goes on with any drug that is addictive, and able to get past the blood-brain barrier.

With nicotine, nicotine receptors are quickly stimulated by the presence of nicotine in the brain, but take a much longer time to "reset" to a position where they can accept nicotine. The effects of nicotine don't last that long though - your brain quickly uses up all of its receptors for nicotine, and is stuck with all this nicotine that it "wants" but can't process. So, your brain grows new cells to absorb the excess nicotine.

Now, it's important to note that this doesn't really increase your intelligence - these news cells are pretty much devoted to sucking up nicotine, and only incidentally do things we think of as "thinking".
posted by Pseudoephedrine at 11:58 AM on October 14, 2005


Oddly enough Pseudoephedrine, you just killed my buzz.
posted by rks404 at 12:11 PM on October 14, 2005


these news cells are pretty much devoted to sucking up nicotine, and only incidentally do things we think of as "thinking".

Is that why pot heads spend so much time thinking... about pot? Maybe that explains their uncanny abilities to make anything into a bong?
posted by Pollomacho at 12:50 PM on October 14, 2005


i feel so much better now.
posted by 3.2.3 at 12:54 PM on October 14, 2005


pmbuko, the reason that frat boys do not experience brain cell growth from that combination is that "brain cell growth" is actually dependent on the presence of existing brain cells. Thus frat boys are not properly equipped to grow any new ones.

Anyone who wishes to try further examination or experimentation regarding the absence of gray matter in such specimens is more than welcome to use any of the five living in the apartment below me as experimental subjects.

It doesn't even have to be for medical experimentation. Just anyone who wants them can come haul them off. Please.
posted by dilettante at 1:06 PM on October 14, 2005


This is my kind of science!
posted by thedailygrowl at 1:30 PM on October 14, 2005


As a dedicated scientist, I feel it's my obligation to test this theory tonight (all three were on the agenda anyways). I'll let you know how it turns out.

anybody want to be the control and not get drunk/high/laid?
posted by slapshot57 at 2:26 PM on October 14, 2005


Denigrate works fine. DMB would have been up there with Bread back in the 70s.
posted by Max Power at 4:52 PM on October 14, 2005


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