4019 replies to this topic

[lostfalco]

Some representative quotes from this study on insulin and IGF-1. =)  http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/26401706

 

"Insulin also alters synaptic structures (23,24), modifies synaptic plasticity (25–27) and increases delivery of NMDA receptors to the plasma membrane (28)."

 

"Similar effects have been observed in response to IGF-1 replacement, showing increased AMPA-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (29,30), and increased NMDA receptor trafficking (31), effects that appear capable of offseting age-dependent cognitive decline."

 

"Further, MRI data in men and women has provided evidence that intranasal insulin can have an impact on brain blood flow (33), and on whole-body insulin sensitivity via regulation of hypothalamic activity (34,35)."

 

"In the dorsal root ganglion and the hippocampus of animals with STZ-induced diabetes (40,41), broader Ca²⁺action potentials, larger Ca²⁺-dependent afterhyperpolarizations (AHPs), and aberrant intracellular Ca²⁺ release are seen (40,42,43). Impaired memory and long-term potentiation maintenance is also present (44)."

 

"Insulin is available primarily in shorter- and longer-acting forms, and intranasal longer-acting insulin formulations (eg, Levemir) may potentially be superior to shorter-acting ones (eg, Humalog) especially in APOE-ε4 carriers (52)."

 

"Long-acting insulin (Levemir) was as effective as short-acting insulin (Humalog) on memory recall in aged animals, inducing levels of performance indistinguishable from those seen in young animals."

 

"The decrease in the AHP by insulin was observed in field CA1 of the hippocampus, a synaptic zone which plays a key role in memory processing."

 

 

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016 Jan;71(1):30-9. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glu314. Epub 2015 Feb 6.

Intranasal Insulin Improves Age-Related Cognitive Deficits and Reverses Electrophysiological Correlates of Brain Aging.

Maimaiti S1, Anderson KL1, DeMoll C1, Brewer LD1, Rauh BA1, Gant JC1, Blalock EM1, Porter NM1, Thibault O2.

Author information

Abstract

Peripheral insulin resistance is a key component of metabolic syndrome associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. While the impact of insulin resistance is well recognized in the periphery, it is also becoming apparent in the brain. Recent studies suggest that insulin resistance may be a factor in brain aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) whereby intranasal insulin therapy, which delivers insulin to the brain, improves cognition and memory in AD patients. Here, we tested a clinically relevant delivery method to determine the impact of two forms of insulin, short-acting insulin lispro (Humalog) or long-acting insulin detemir (Levemir), on cognitive functions in aged F344 rats. We also explored insulin effects on the Ca(2+)-dependent hippocampal afterhyperpolarization (AHP), a well-characterized neurophysiological marker of aging which is increased in the aged, memory impaired animal. Low-dose intranasal insulin improved memory recall in aged animals such that their performance was similar to that seen in younger animals. Further, because ex vivo insulin also reduced the AHP, our results suggest that the AHP may be a novel cellular target of insulin in the brain, and improved cognitive performance following intranasal insulin therapy may be the result of insulin actions on the AHP.

 

 

 

[magta39]

Hey Lostfalco I revisited galantamine, this time with double the previous dose, 8mg seems to give me a calmer clear head and I felt very analytical, despite drinking tons of coffee yesterday.  Staying in line with hormesis and epigenetic theories I may try this 3 times a week.  BTW I got my 48LEDs but still waiting for the power adapter to arrive....

Edited by magta39, 09 January 2016 - 06:50 PM.

[BieraK]

Here is it
Montelukast, 27 USD in local pharmacy, no prescription
Yesterday was my first dose, 10 mg sublingual, effects: Drowsiness, a common side effect of Montelukast.
Today I will try 2 x 10 mg tablets oral administration. I've only taken 100 mg MB today. If Montelukast gives me drowsiness I will take some modafinil, the box will last me only for two weeks if I take 20mg.

However, the drugs is good for insomnia, I slept to well after the first dose, is better to take it in night before going to bed.

Attached Files

•  Montelukast.jpg   33.41KB   6 downloads

Edited by BieraK, 09 January 2016 - 07:33 PM.

[lostfalco]

Thank you Lostfalco! I'm always so happy to see that theres new posts on this thread! :D And I highly appreciate the post! 

I must ask, because of my own eager-ness to take this substance for such a long time... the Mk-677 how effective is it? I know it may be hard to tell with such a quantity of other drugs in there but if there's any sudden notice? 
Also have you noticed any Anabolic sort of effects from this nasal spray, or any abnormalities? 
I realize this is personal but if you have seen a benefit from this, could it be related to your age?

Thanks again! I'm always watching this thread even if I don't post, forgive me but I am quite busy. I would love to discuss studies you post, constantly! But I know ill get to into it and it will end up taking away from other activities.

(p.s methyelene blue, worth it in reference to other substances? ) 

Thanks again, and sorry for all the questions
 

No problem, Bluecheer...I'm glad you've found some useful info on the thread. =)

 

MK-677: I'd say the probability that it works as an effective ghrelin mimetic in me is very high. It makes me extremely hungry. As you mentioned, I have a few confounding factors but I certainly seem to notice a physical and mental energy boost from it. It's high on my list of effective substances that I've tried. I have a few concerns about long term usage and I'm going through all the literature I can get my hands on...because I really want to keep it in my stack. We'll see. 

 

MSH: I didn't notice any anabolic effects from the nasal spray. Mood and motivation were excellent though. The melanocortin system is hugely important in brain function and overlaps with insulin signaling, leptin, ghrelin, etc. This stuff combined extremely well with MK-677 and I'm really interested in seeing how it combines with intranasal insulin. Although, intranasal insulin very likely increases MC4 signaling in the brain so it may be too much. Interesting experiments ahead. 

 

I'm not that old. =)

 

I think methylene blue is definitely worth an experiment for most people. Actually, bluebrainboost is still carrying it and may not close down after all. Which is great news. https://www.bluebrai...blue-nootropic/

Edited by lostfalco, 10 January 2016 - 06:05 AM.

[lostfalco]

Nope.  But you will! 

Seriously:  I'm a white South African.  Black Empowerment makes me unemployable...

 

You may also want to check out the Nilotinib threads here.
Mitophagy and autophagy by PARKIN upregulation and the elimination of misfolded proteins from the brain. (and probably the whole body)
 

 

haha You're probably right, Logic. It is an interesting substance but it looks like bioavailability is an issue. There are various formulations currently being tested to solve that issue so I'll be keeping an eye on it. 

 

I've been following at least one of the Nilotinib threads on here. Will be interesting to hear people's experiences. 

[lostfalco]

Hey Lostfalco I revisited galantamine, this time with double the previous dose, 8mg seems to give me a calmer clear head and I felt very analytical, despite drinking tons of coffee yesterday.  Staying in line with hormesis and epigenetic theories I may try this 3 times a week.  BTW I got my 48LEDs but still waiting for the power adapter to arrive....

Very cool, magta. I'm glad you found a dose that works for you. Galantamine is a great substance imo. There is an intranasal version that I really want to try and a galantamine prodrug that looks extremely promising (Memogain). So many experiments, so little time. 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/25720404

 

J Alzheimers Dis. 2015;46(1):123-36. doi: 10.3233/JAD-142421.

Nasal Application of the Galantamine Pro-drug Memogain Slows Down Plaque Deposition and Ameliorates Behavior in 5X Familial Alzheimer's Disease Mice.

Bhattacharya S1, Maelicke A2, Montag D1.

Author information

Abstract

The plant alkaloid galantamine is an established symptomatic drug treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD), providing cognitive and global relief in human patients. However, as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, gastrointestinal side effects limit the dosage and duration of treatment. Memogain (Gln-1062), a pro-drug, liberates galantamine on cleavage by a carboxyesterase in the brain. The possibility to deliver Memogain intranasally may further circumvent side effects, allowing higher dosing compared to galantamine. In this study, the 5X Familial Alzheimer's Disease (5XFAD) mouse model was used to investigate the effect of chronic Memogain treatment on behavior and amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition in the brain. Chronic intranasal dosage of 6 mg/kg body weight twice daily was tolerated well, whereas the double dose caused body weight loss in males and was less effective in some behavioral tests. 8 weeks of chronic treatment resulted in improved performance in behavioral tests, such as open field and light-dark avoidance, and in fear conditioning already at mildly affected stages at the age of 18 weeks compared to untreated controls. Furthermore, after treatment a significantly lower plaque density in the brain, i.e., in the entorhinal cortex (reduction 20% females, 40% males) and the hippocampus (19% females, 31% males) at the age of 18 weeks was observed. These results show that nasal application of Memogain effectively delivers the drug to the brain with the potential to retard plaque deposition and improve behavioral symptoms in AD similar to the approved galantamine.

[lostfalco]

Here is it
Montelukast, 27 USD in local pharmacy, no prescription
Yesterday was my first dose, 10 mg sublingual, effects: Drowsiness, a common side effect of Montelukast.
Today I will try 2 x 10 mg tablets oral administration. I've only taken 100 mg MB today. If Montelukast gives me drowsiness I will take some modafinil, the box will last me only for two weeks if I take 20mg.

However, the drugs is good for insomnia, I slept to well after the first dose, is better to take it in night before going to bed.

Awesome, BieraK! You beat me to it. Mine still hasn't arrived. Thanks for the update. I'll be really interested to hear how your experiment progresses. My guess is that you can probably get away with a pretty low dose since you only want to reduce inflammation a little bit. MB is most likely helping with neuroinflammation already. Intravaneous MB certainly seems to. 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/25070744

 

J Neurotrauma. 2015 Jan 15;32(2):127-38. doi: 10.1089/neu.2014.3514. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Methylene blue attenuates traumatic brain injury-associated neuroinflammation and acute depressive-like behavior in mice.

Fenn AM1, Skendelas JP, Moussa DN, Muccigrosso MM, Popovich PG, Lifshitz J, Eiferman DS, Godbout JP.

Author information

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with cerebral edema, blood brain barrier breakdown, and neuroinflammation that contribute to the degree of injury severity and functional recovery. Unfortunately, there are no effective proactive treatments for limiting immediate or long-term consequences of TBI. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of methylene blue (MB), an antioxidant agent, in reducing inflammation and behavioral complications associated with a diffuse brain injury. Here we show that immediate MB infusion (intravenous; 15-30 minutes after TBI) reduced cerebral edema, attenuated microglial activation and reduced neuroinflammation, and improved behavioral recovery after midline fluid percussion injury in mice. Specifically, TBI-associated edema and inflammatory gene expression in the hippocampus were significantly reduced by MB at 1 d post injury. Moreover, MB intervention attenuated TBI-induced inflammatory gene expression (interleukin [IL]-1β, tumor necrosis factor α) in enriched microglia/macrophages 1 d post injury. Cell culture experiments with lipopolysaccharide-activated BV2 microglia confirmed that MB treatment directly reduced IL-1β and increased IL-10 messenger ribonucleic acid in microglia. Last, functional recovery and depressive-like behavior were assessed up to one week after TBI. MB intervention did not prevent TBI-induced reductions in body weight or motor coordination 1-7 d post injury. Nonetheless, MB attenuated the development of acute depressive-like behavior at 7 d post injury. Taken together, immediate intervention with MB was effective in reducing neuroinflammation and improving behavioral recovery after diffuse brain injury. Thus, MB intervention may reduce life-threatening complications of TBI, including edema and neuroinflammation, and protect against the development of neuropsychiatric complications.

 

Edited by lostfalco, 10 January 2016 - 03:56 PM.

[Paul Smith]

Hi,

 

I'm wondering whether if money did not matter you would prefer the Vielight 810 over a CCTV LLLT?

 

Also I've been looking into grounding but in two minds as there is some science behind it but I'm naturally skeptical, has anybody reported any benefits here wonder what the general opinion. 

 

Thanks

[lostfalco]

Hi,

 

I'm wondering whether if money did not matter you would prefer the Vielight 810 over a CCTV LLLT?

 

Also I've been looking into grounding but in two minds as there is some science behind it but I'm naturally skeptical, has anybody reported any benefits here wonder what the general opinion. 

 

Thanks

Hey Paul, good question. If money didn't matter then I wouldn't 'prefer' the Vielight but I would tempted to try the Vielight. It's 810nm (like the VetroLaser), uses 10Hz pulsing, and has an intranasal attachment. The CCTV devices are 850nm and continuous. I'd be interested in comparing effects simply because they are different. With that said, I think you can buy a MUCH cheaper LED to test intranasally (it wouldn't be pulsing though) and I also think the CCTV devices look better for the transcranial part. The little headset they sell is not going to push the LEDs far enough past your hair to get maximal penetration. Even if you are completely bald, you still want to push down pretty hard in order to get maximal light penetration through the skull. I'll post a video below that illustrates the importance of pressing the LEDs down pretty hard when performing transcranial LLLT.

 

I'm pretty skeptical on grounding even though I think enhancing the zeta potential of red blood cells/reducing blood viscosity looks interesting. http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22757749   There are many other things we can do to enhance microcirculation that are likely to be just as effective (PDE5i, vibration plate, etc.). 

 

Edited by lostfalco, 10 January 2016 - 05:03 PM.

[cougar]

Hi lostfalco,

I've been using the CCTV 96 LED recommended by you on and off for a few years now. I've never used it for more than three times a week, and I've tried both thirty seconds, forty seconds and one minute each site. Unfortunately, it seems that LLLT only works wonderfully for me the first few times. After that, I always went back to square one. I then had to take a very long break. The next time I resumed the "therapy", it only worked for the first few times. In other words, looks like I get tolerated to LLLT very rapidly.

Also, I've never removed the glass cover. Therefore, I'm wondering whether removing the glass cover could make any difference. In other words, do you think removing the glass cover and "pressing hard" would enable it to work continuously and consistently for me?

Thanks in advance!

Edited by cougar, 10 January 2016 - 08:01 PM.

[Paul Smith]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes one of the drawbacks of the Vielight 810 is that it is focused on a specific area but I am very interested by the Alpha 10Hz pulsing frequency which is meant to induce a concentrated calm.

 

Just out of interest do you use an EEG or qEEG to measure your self-experiments.

 

I am interested in the TULIP method and will try it. I am wondering if you measure your ATP somehow (searching didn't reveal anything) either directly or indirectly. The reason I ask is because is because I find it reassuring to track and monitor progress in an area independent of my "feelings.

 

 

 

 

[cougar]

Also lostfalco, could you please share some more details about your intranasal insulin experience? You mentioned that you bought your insulin at Walmart, is it the insulin for diabetic patients to inject? Did you have to dilute it and how? Did you simply put the solution in a nasal spray? What does your dosing look like?

Thanks in advance!

[mettmett]

@cougar Yes, you should remove the glass panel.  It is just another barrier that prevents the light from penetrating.  Look at the video falco posted above your question.

@paul  Couldn't you also use a CCTV LED while listening to isochronic beats at 10hz and replicate the pulsed effect?

[lostfalco]

Hi lostfalco,

I've been using the CCTV 96 LED recommended by you on and off for a few years now. I've never used it for more than three times a week, and I've tried both thirty seconds, forty seconds and one minute each site. Unfortunately, it seems that LLLT only works wonderfully for me the first few times. After that, I always went back to square one. I then had to take a very long break. The next time I resumed the "therapy", it only worked for the first few times. In other words, looks like I get tolerated to LLLT very rapidly.

Also, I've never removed the glass cover. Therefore, I'm wondering whether removing the glass cover could make any difference. In other words, do you think removing the glass cover and "pressing hard" would enable it to work continuously and consistently for me?

Thanks in advance!

 

Hey cougar, I would definitely recommend removing the cover and pressing down. I also make sure that I push the LEDs past my hair...I kind of nestle them in there as far as I can. Also remember that some studies have shown persistent effects weeks after dosing...you may want to try less frequent dosing such as once a week or once every two weeks. It's conceivable that this might be all you need (which would make me jealous!). =)

Edited by lostfalco, 13 January 2016 - 05:03 AM.

[lostfalco]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes one of the drawbacks of the Vielight 810 is that it is focused on a specific area but I am very interested by the Alpha 10Hz pulsing frequency which is meant to induce a concentrated calm.

 

Just out of interest do you use an EEG or qEEG to measure your self-experiments.

 

I am interested in the TULIP method and will try it. I am wondering if you measure your ATP somehow (searching didn't reveal anything) either directly or indirectly. The reason I ask is because is because I find it reassuring to track and monitor progress in an area independent of my "feelings.

Hey Paul, I don't measure my self experiments with EEG but I would love to. One of these days...

 

I looked into tests to measure ATP levels/mitochondrial function a few years ago but they were somewhat questionable in efficacy and very cost prohibitive. I'm with you though...the more objective testing the better. Once I finish school and can afford it (hopefully), I will be a lot more quantitative in measuring blood markers. As of now, I'm still engaged in what I call 'scientifically inspired anecdote'. I'm excited to move forward and enhance the 'science' part in coming years.  

[lostfalco]

Also lostfalco, could you please share some more details about your intranasal insulin experience? You mentioned that you bought your insulin at Walmart, is it the insulin for diabetic patients to inject? Did you have to dilute it and how? Did you simply put the solution in a nasal spray? What does your dosing look like?

Thanks in advance!

So, I decided to try intranasal insulin before dihexa and intranasal melanotan ii. Yeah, it's the insulin that diabetics use for injections. I didn't dilute it...I just put it in a nasal spray bottle (and stored it in the fridge). That's actually what they did in some of the studies. There is also evidence that the cribriform plate gets saturated and can only handle so much so there is little chance of overdosing. 

 

So far I really like it but there is one huge caveat...it has meta-cresol in it. It's a low percentage but it's used as a preservative in pretty much every insulin formulation. Gonna have to really think about this one...

 

Anyway, I wanted to test it out just to get an idea what it was like and for me it is VERY mood enhancing (I've used it for five days now). It puts me in an extremely positive state of mind. I was also surprised at how energizing it was and how much it seemed to enhance focus. I really wasn't expecting noticeable effects in the short term but they were quite powerful for me. Now I need to look deeper into long term issues with meta-cresol. They used it for 8 weeks on healthy humans so I'm not THAT worried...but it is an issue that needs to be addressed before thinking about using it long term. 

Edited by lostfalco, 13 January 2016 - 05:00 AM.

[lostfalco]

Since I've been raiding the bodybuilders' medicine cabinets and shoving whatever I can find up my nose lately (I also have IGF-1 to try intranasally...soon) I wondered if intranasal testosterone exists...it does! ha It also doubles the brain levels of test in rodents compared to intravenous test. 

 

This could be good or bad (you can always have too much of something) but test is anti-inflammatory and seriously promotes hippocampal synaptogenesis/spinogenesis (as does DHT). Hmm....

 

FDA OKs Natesto, First-Ever Nasal Testosterone Treatment    http://www.medscape....warticle/825793

 

"Dr. Anawalt also pointed to a theoretic concern, that brain testosterone levels will be much higher with intranasal testosterone gel than with other testosterone treatments. A study published in 2009 using mice showed brain levels of testosterone that were about twice as high in mice who received intranasal testosterone gel than in mice receiving intravenous testosterone. "What this finding means and whether it applies to men is unknown," he told Medscape Medical News."

 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/25511993

 

Brain Res. 2015 Sep 24;1621:121-32. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.12.011. Epub 2014 Dec 13.

Rapid increase of spines by dihydrotestosterone and testosterone in hippocampal neurons: Dependence on synaptic androgen receptor and kinase networks.

Hatanaka Y1, Hojo Y2, Mukai H2, Murakami G2, Komatsuzaki Y1, Kim J1, Ikeda M1, Hiragushi A1, Kimoto T1, Kawato S3.

Author information

Abstract

Rapid modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity by locally synthesized androgen is important in addition to circulating androgen. Here, we investigated the rapid changes of dendritic spines in response to the elevation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T), by using hippocampal slices from adult male rats, in order to clarify whether these signaling processes include synaptic/extranuclear androgen receptor (AR) and activation of kinases. We found that the application of 10nM DHT and 10nM T increased the total density of spines by approximately 1.3-fold within 2h, by imaging Lucifer Yellow-injected CA1 pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, DHT and T increased different head-sized spines. While DHTincreased middle- and large-head spines, T increased small-head spines. Androgen-induced spinogenesis was suppressed by individually blocking Erk MAPK, PKA, PKC, p38 MAPK, LIMK or calcineurin. On the other hand, blocking CaMKII did not inhibit spinogenesis. Blocking PI3K altered the spine head diameter distribution, but did not change the total spine density. Blocking mRNA and protein synthesis did not suppress the enhancing effects induced by DHT or T. The enhanced spinogenesis by androgens was blocked by AR antagonist, which AR was localized postsynaptically. Taken together, these results imply that enhanced spinogenesis by DHT and T is mediated by synaptic/extranuclear AR which rapidly drives the kinase networks. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Brain and Memory.

 

Edited by lostfalco, 14 January 2016 - 12:30 AM.

[cylack]

Lostfalco,

 

When you bought the insulin at walmart what dose did you buy it at? This article by Reger et al indicated that 20 IU was optimal dosage for memory improvement: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2804944/.

 

Did you buy a vial of insulin and just pour it straight into the nasal spray bottle or did you mix it with saline? How often did you take the insulin in a day? Thanks for any tips you may have on the practical application of intranasal insulin. Since it doesn't affect blood glucose levels, I figure I'd give it a shot.

 

BTW, anyone else in med school here? I'm in my final year of med school and about to start studying for USMLE Step 2ck, so looking for any ways to improve my memory.

[lostfalco]

A very simple summary video on action potentials. I strongly recommend that everyone who has time check this out. We've talked about synaptic plasticity, the role of the hydrogen gradient (in mitos), and the role of the calcium gradient (in intracellular signaling, etc). The next phase of creating supranormal cognition requires us to focus on the axon hillock, the axonal initial segment, myelination, etc (nonsynaptic plasticity). We will be especially focused on the sodium gradient and ways to modulate it (especially nav1.2). This is VERY powerful stuff and combined with synaptic alterations and mitochondrial enhancement we have an immensely powerful toolkit to work with. 

 

Note: the video doesn't say this but mitochondria are densely packed around these locations and ATP is used to power pumps that help reset the gradient (i.e. the gradients are all interrelated; hydrogen, calcium, sodium, potassium, etc.). 

Note2: did I mention that we should focus on gradients? =) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by lostfalco, 19 August 2016 - 01:29 PM.

[Remington]

Hey lostfalco, I'm on my second day of the intranasal insulin and I can say I also feel the positive mood. By accident I picked up the nasal dropper instead of the spray but might run back and pick up the spray for better saturation. But all together I like it so far, will keep you updated as I progress thanks.

[mettmett]

Are there any concerns of going hypoglycaemic while doing intranasal insulin? Especially for people who don't consume many carbs?

[iamthewildturtle]

May I still question about photobiomodulation? I've been taking PQQ and CoQ10 and using LLLT for two days. My feeling today was magnificent. Also, I've been taking Vitamin D3 supplements. I have my methylation results from genetic genie and 23 and me.

I had someone on reddit analyze my SNPs and they recommended Vitamin D3, PQQ, CoQ10, B12, and a little more. Anyways, I just want to report that I'm feeling well.

 

I have a question about LLLT though. I recently learned (today and yesterday in my AP Psychology class) that people who are optimistic and positive have greater activity in the left hemisphere of their brain, while those that are depressed have greater activity in 

the right hemisphere. Just food for thought. I can take a picture of my textbook or you can look this up. 

 

Anyways, where should I place the LEDs on my head? Have we made progress on which specific areas to place them? 

[lostfalco]

Lostfalco,

 

When you bought the insulin at walmart what dose did you buy it at? This article by Reger et al indicated that 20 IU was optimal dosage for memory improvement: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2804944/.

 

Did you buy a vial of insulin and just pour it straight into the nasal spray bottle or did you mix it with saline? How often did you take the insulin in a day? Thanks for any tips you may have on the practical application of intranasal insulin. Since it doesn't affect blood glucose levels, I figure I'd give it a shot.

 

BTW, anyone else in med school here? I'm in my final year of med school and about to start studying for USMLE Step 2ck, so looking for any ways to improve my memory.

Hey cylack, this study (the one you cited =)) used Novolin R which is what I copied. "One-hundred μL of insulin (Novolin R, Novo Nordisk, Princeton, NJ, USA) or saline were administered with a needle-less syringe into alternating nostrils for a total volume of 600 μL at each visit. One-hundred μL of insulin corresponded to 10 IU..." http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2804944/

 

They used a needle-less syringe but I've been using a nasal spray bottle and it seems to work well. Yup, just poured it directly into the spray bottle, undiluted. I lean my head back and breathe in deeply to get maximal absorption. I started with just one tiny squirt to test my reaction and I'm now up to 3x/day at 10IU total per dose. They used 40IU at 4 times per day in one of they healthy human studies so I'm well below that. I like to see how little I can get away with while still getting effects so I may go lower (or higher)...still a lot of tinkering to do since this is fairly uncharted territory.

 

For memory I like spaced repetition learning. I use the 20/10 (or 10/5) method for acquisition and Anki for maintenance. I've previously posted about them and I'm happy to give you links if you're unfamiliar. =) 

[lostfalco]

Hey lostfalco, I'm on my second day of the intranasal insulin and I can say I also feel the positive mood. By accident I picked up the nasal dropper instead of the spray but might run back and pick up the spray for better saturation. But all together I like it so far, will keep you updated as I progress thanks.

Awesome, Remington! Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad it's working for you. I'm normally a pretty positive person but this stuff just puts me in a really good mood. It doesn't feel dopaminergic or giddy at all to me...just peacefully happy with non-wired energy. Kinda unique. I look forward to hearing how it works for you going forward. 

[lostfalco]

Are there any concerns of going hypoglycaemic while doing intranasal insulin? Especially for people who don't consume many carbs?

Hey mettmett, if you are VERY low carb there might be a small concern. http://diabetes.diab...63/12/4083.long

 

You're a pretty experienced self-experimenter so I think if you follow the typical micro-dose starting point before escalating and pay attention to your body then you'll be fine. 

[lostfalco]

May I still question about photobiomodulation? I've been taking PQQ and CoQ10 and using LLLT for two days. My feeling today was magnificent. Also, I've been taking Vitamin D3 supplements. I have my methylation results from genetic genie and 23 and me.

I had someone on reddit analyze my SNPs and they recommended Vitamin D3, PQQ, CoQ10, B12, and a little more. Anyways, I just want to report that I'm feeling well.

 

I have a question about LLLT though. I recently learned (today and yesterday in my AP Psychology class) that people who are optimistic and positive have greater activity in the left hemisphere of their brain, while those that are depressed have greater activity in 

the right hemisphere. Just food for thought. I can take a picture of my textbook or you can look this up. 

 

Anyways, where should I place the LEDs on my head? Have we made progress on which specific areas to place them? 

Photobiomodulation questions are always welcome. =) The hydrogen gradient/mito enhancement are fundamental to everything else so, no problem. 

 

Very cool that TULIP has been working for you. I recommend lasering your whole brain and not worrying about enhancing specific spots or hemispheres...that's not really how LLLT works. Of course, feel free to perform your own experiments and see what works best for you. 

[iamthewildturtle]

 

May I still question about photobiomodulation? I've been taking PQQ and CoQ10 and using LLLT for two days. My feeling today was magnificent. Also, I've been taking Vitamin D3 supplements. I have my methylation results from genetic genie and 23 and me.

I had someone on reddit analyze my SNPs and they recommended Vitamin D3, PQQ, CoQ10, B12, and a little more. Anyways, I just want to report that I'm feeling well.

 

I have a question about LLLT though. I recently learned (today and yesterday in my AP Psychology class) that people who are optimistic and positive have greater activity in the left hemisphere of their brain, while those that are depressed have greater activity in 

the right hemisphere. Just food for thought. I can take a picture of my textbook or you can look this up. 

 

Anyways, where should I place the LEDs on my head? Have we made progress on which specific areas to place them? 

Photobiomodulation questions are always welcome. =) The hydrogen gradient/mito enhancement are fundamental to everything else so, no problem. 

 

Very cool that TULIP has been working for you. I recommend lasering your whole brain and not worrying about enhancing specific spots or hemispheres...that's not really how LLLT works. Of course, feel free to perform your own experiments and see what works best for you. 

 

Ahh ok. Well if LLLT improves mitochondrial activity, then it should increase action potential firing as well right? Much of the mitochondria is situated at the axon hillock where action potentials originate from. I'll stick to lasering my whole brain.

I have the 96 LED CCTV thing. How many different planes/areas of the head should I go over? Also, how long should I do each area and in what order?

[magta39]

So this past Monday I got my 48LED and the adapter set up and started my first trial run...I was very conservative so that night before bedtime I only did the frontal lobe parts of my brain at 30 secs each spot.  That night I feel that it affected my sleep in a negative way but maybe was placebo or just the novelty of doing something new and exciting got me too wound up to get my normal sleep even though I took some melatonin.  So the next morning I was a little slow getting started for the day but by the afternoon felt great and had 2 very positive business meetings.  Wed morning I decided to try more LLLT so I only did the temporal and parietal lobe areas of my head 30 secs each spot....afterward felt like it mellowed me out a bit so I lay down and meditated for about 15 or 20 mins and got up and took a sodium selenite cap and 2 grams piracetam then a cup of coffee and felt fine.  I had a productive afternoon at the office solving big computer problems and on the phone, problems which had been persisting for months.  This morning (Friday) I did the frontal lobe areas again 30 secs each spot followed by 2 grams Piracetam and a sodium selenite cap and I am feeling fine....one confounding factor this week is the fact that I also tried 8 mgs galantamine M W and Fri this week after breakfast which is also something totally new.  Anyway I am having a great week but not sure why....I may stick with this same protocol for a while before changing it.

[lostfalco]

IGF-1 overexpression enhances neurogenesis in aged mice. 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/26581336

 

Brain Res. 2015 Nov 12. pii: S0006-8993(15)00853-7. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.11.010. [Epub ahead of print]

The effect of constitutive over-expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 on the cognitive function in aged mice.

Hu A1, Yuan H2, Wu L1, Chen R1, Chen Q1, Zhang T2, Wang Z2, Liu P2, Zhu X3.

Author information

Abstract

The neurotrophic factor insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 promotes neurogenesis in the mammalian brain and provides protection against brain injury. However, studies regarding the effects of IGF-1 on cognitive function in aged mice remain limited. We investigated the effects of overexpression ofIGF-1 specifically in neural stem cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus on the recognitive function in 18-month-old transgenic mice. Immunohistocytochemistry and Nissl staining revealed the increased population of BrdU-positive cells as well as the upregulated expression of Nestin and neuronal nuclei (NeuN), respective markers for neural progenitors and neurons, in the hippocampus of the aged IGF-1 transgenic mice versus the wild-type, suggesting that IGF-1 overexpression promotes neurogenesis. In addition, the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), the phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were enhanced in the transgenic mice than in the wild-type. Transgenic mice also showed superior performance in the Morris water maze and step-down memory tests to their wild-type counterparts. Moreover, the learning and memory abilities of transgenic mice were significantly undermined with the blockage of CaMKII and ERK signaling pathway. Accordingly, our findings indicated that IGF-1 may mitigate the aged-associated cognitive decline via promoting neurogenesis in the hippocampus and activating CaMKII and ERK signaling by binding with IGF-1R.

 

Edited by lostfalco, 17 January 2016 - 07:27 PM.

[lostfalco]

Not sure exactly where I stand on Magnesium L-Threonate compared to other forms (I take glycinate) but in this study it enhanced cognitive function in cognitively impaired older humans...presumably through synaptogenesis.

 

It's available for purchase here. http://clarimem.com/products/clarimem

 

I'm a bit suspicious of some of the Magnesium L-Threonate research but I thought I'd share anyway since I've been somewhat obsessed with synaptogenesis lately (among other things =)). 

 

 

http://content.iospr...sease/jad150538

 

J Alzheimers Dis. 2015 Oct 27;49(4):971-90. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150538.

Efficacy and Safety of MMFS-01, a Synapse Density Enhancer, for Treating Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Liu G1,2, Weinger JG1, Lu ZL3, Xue F4, Sadeghpour S1.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Cognitive impairment is a major problem in elderly, affecting quality of life. Pre-clinical studies show that MMFS-01, a synapse density enhancer, is effective at reversing cognitive decline in aging rodents.

OBJECTIVE:

Since brain atrophy during aging is strongly associated with both cognitive decline and sleep disorder, we evaluated the efficacy of MMFS-01 in its ability to reverse cognitive impairment and improve sleep.

METHODS:

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-designed trial in older adult subjects (age 50-70) with cognitive impairment. Subjects were treated with MMFS-01 (n = 23) or placebo (n = 21) for 12 weeks and cognitive ability, sleep quality, and emotion were evaluated. Overall cognitive ability was determined by a composite score of tests in four major cognitive domains.

RESULTS:

With MMFS-01 treatment, overall cognitive ability improved significantly relative to placebo (p = 0.003; Cohen's d = 0.91). Cognitive fluctuation was also reduced. The study population had more severe executive function deficits than age-matched controls from normative data and MMFS-01 treatment nearly restored their impaired executive function, demonstrating that MMFS-01 may be clinically significant. Due to the strong placebo effects on sleep and anxiety, the effects of MMFS-01 on sleep and anxiety could not be determined.

CONCLUSIONS:

The current study demonstrates the potential of MMFS-01 for treating cognitive impairment in older adults.

 

Edited by lostfalco, 17 January 2016 - 05:48 PM.