Bitchin' idea, emerson! [thumb]
I propose that before we begin collecting funds, let's:
Find a consensus on the possible costs involved from individuals whom might conduct such research.
Some good questions to have answered before moving forward would be the following:
Who might do the research?
Perhaps we could inquire from Dr. Turner Et. Al the cost of the following publication:
Obviously, we'd want the full CANTAB Battery (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) battery): learn more about CANTAB tests by clicking
here.
CANTAB tests
The nineteen CANTAB tests are grouped below in broad functional categories.
o CANTAB tests are sensitive to cognitive changes caused by a wide range of CNS disorders and medication effects, and can detect changes that most other tests will simply miss.
o Where error scores are a key outcome measure, CANTAB tests are graded in difficulty to avoid ceiling effects.
o Where accurate measurement of latency is important, responses are made via a press pad. Elsewhere, engaging touch-screen technology maximises compliance.
o The majority of CANTAB tests are independent of language and culture.
Other interesting tests that can be run:
1. Visual analogue scales
Bond A, Lader M (1974) The use of analogue scales in rating subjective feelings. Br J Med Psychol 47:211-218
2. Digit span: Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale
3. Decision making (gamble) task: Rahman S, Sahakian BJ, Cardinal RN, Rogers RD, Robbins TW (2001) Decision making and neuropsychiatry. Trends Cogn Sci 5:271-277
4. Stop-signal (stop) task:
a) This classic paradigm: Logan GD (1994) On the ability to inhibit thought and action. In: Dagenbach D, Carr TH (eds) Inhibitory processes in attention, memory and language. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 189-239
However, herein lies the problem. Running a clinical trial on a drug such as modafinil might be different than a drug such as Piracetam. Modafinil seems to work for most patients upon first administration, whereas with Piracetam that might not seem to be the case -- and hokey pokey so called other "nootropics." [sfty]
I know of many that do not report any effect at all. Also, it's possible that Piracetam requires several months of dosing to achieve its effects; and this might mean that the trials could cost even more because the need to re test. Every time you hire teams of highly accredited researchers such as Dr. Turner's team, you are competing with drug companies et al, if you know what I mean. They don't work for minimum wage, if ya know what I mean.
Personally, I do not think Piracetam measures up to modafinil in clinical effect. Some might suggest we invest in more compounds with similar potential to a drug like modafinil rather than Piracetam -- maybe we should take a look further into
ampakines? However, it would be good to prove -- once and for all -- that the placebo effect is still running in full force!
More info on Dr. Turner:
here.
Her profile:
Danielle Turner is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Psychiatry, and works within the University of Cambridge Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute. She completed a PhD in psychopharmacology at the University of Cambridge in 2005, under the supervision of Professors Barbara Sahakian and Trevor Robbins. She was supported by an MRC research studentship, with research funds from the Wellcome Trust.
Danielle is best known for her work on cognitive enhancement. She has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences, in addition to publishing eight first-authored scientific articles in high quality journals. Indeed, her article on cognitive enhancement in healthy volunteers was the most highly cited research paper of the year in the journal Psychopharmacology. Her research has received widespread recognition and has been discussed in public forums such as the Guardian newspaper, The Today Programme and the BBC World Service. Danielle has also contributed to initiatives such as the Department of Trade and Industry's Foresight project in Brain Science, Addiction and Drugs and DEMOS and the Wellcome Trust's joint Better Humans debate.
Danielle is a keen communicator of science to the general public. She has received awards from the New Scientist/Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council UK (Max Perutz essay competition) and the Daily Telegraph. Danielle has also received special recognition for her work from the Royal Institution as a finalist in the 'Science Graduate of the Year' competition. One of Danielle's core research interests is in exploring the ethical implications of enhancing human cognition, a topic covered in her March 2006 article in BioSocieties. Danielle is a fellow of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (CCLE), California, USA.
Danielle Turner is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Psychiatry, and works within the University of Cambridge Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute. She completed a PhD in psychopharmacology at the University of Cambridge in 2005, under the supervision of Professors Barbara Sahakian and Trevor Robbins. She was supported by an MRC research studentship, with research funds from the Wellcome Trust.
Danielle is best known for her work on cognitive enhancement. She has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences, in addition to publishing eight first-authored scientific articles in high quality journals. Indeed, her article on cognitive enhancement in healthy volunteers was the most highly cited research paper of the year in the journal Psychopharmacology. Her research has received widespread recognition and has been discussed in public forums such as the Guardian newspaper, The Today Programme and the BBC World Service. Danielle has also contributed to initiatives such as the Department of Trade and Industry's Foresight project in Brain Science, Addiction and Drugs and DEMOS and the Wellcome Trust's joint Better Humans? debate.
Danielle is a keen communicator of science to the general public. She has received awards from the New Scientist/Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council UK (Max Perutz essay competition) and the Daily Telegraph. Danielle has also received special recognition for her work from the Royal Institution as a finalist in the 'Science Graduate of the Year' competition. One of Danielle's core research interests is in exploring the ethical implications of enhancing human cognition, a topic covered in her March 2006 article in BioSocieties. Danielle is a fellow of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (CCLE), California, USA.
A co inventor of the CANTAB battery:
Professor Barbara J Sahakian (Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine) -- also worked as part of Dr. Turner's team on the above referenced abstract on modafinil in healthy subjects.
Her personal statement:
Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, FMedSci,
Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine,
Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ
Tel: 44-1223 331209/Fax: 44-1223 336968 Email:jenny.hall@cambsmh.nhs.uk
Barbara J Sahakian is Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine. She has an international reputation in the fields of cognitive psychopharmacology, neuroethics, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and neuroimaging. She is co-inventor of the CANTAB computerised neuropsychological tests, which are in use world-wide. She is probably best known for her research work on cognition and depression, cognitive enhancement using pharmacological treatments, neuroethics and early detection of Alzheimer's disease. Indeed, she has over 200 publications covering these topics in scientific journals, including Science, Nature Neuroscience, The Lancet, British Medical Journal, Archives of General Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, the Journal of Neuroscience, Brain, Psychopharmacology and Psychological Medicine. Her current programme of research, funded by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council, investigates the neurochemical modulation of impulsive and compulsive behaviour in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as unipolar and bipolar depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This topic was the focus of her recent paper published in Science, (vol 311, Feb. 2006, 861-863).
Professor Sahakian was one of the first researchers to suggest that attentional dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease could be ameliorated using pharmacotherapy, such as cholinesterase inhibitors. In addition, she was early to highlight the cognitive changes in unipolar and bipolar depression, as well as their significance for functional outcome. In 2003, she was selected to lecture on this topic for the Teaching Day at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). Most recently, she has introduced the importance of the concept of cognitive reserve to the field of neuropsychiatry (Psychological Medicine, 2006, 36, 1053-1064).
In recognition of her contribution to cognitive neuroscience, she was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2004 and in 2005 she was awarded the Donders Chair in Psychopharmacology at Utrecht University (The Netherlands).
From November 2005 she began a four-year appointment to the Committee of Women in Neuroscience for the Society for Neuroscience (SFN, USA). In 2006 she began her appointment on the Medical Research Council Neurosciences and Mental Health Board. Also this year, she was appointed to the Executive Committee of the newly formed Neuroethics Society and is on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Bioethics - Neuroscience
Professor Sahakian has also trained over 15 PhD students in the field of cognitive neuroscience, many now with international reputations in their own right (e.g. Adrian M Owen, Rebecca Elliott, Andrew D. Lawrence, Adam Aron) and several prize winners (e.g. Jennifer Coull, Mitul Mehta, Danielle Turner). Since 2004 she has been writing and training PhD students in the field of neuroethics. One of her students, Danielle Turner, who completed her PhD on the psychopharmacology of cognitive enhancement in 2005, received an award from the British Psychological Society and was recently selected as one of the top five young UK researchers. Her PhD student, Karen Ersche, who received her degree this year, has just been appointed Betty Behrens Research Fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge.
These are the most prestigious and experienced in the field of cognitive science I can think of.
Edited by nootropikamil, 07 December 2006 - 07:04 AM.
