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March 25, 2010

Smart pill that helps children through puberty

Richard Alleyne:

Teenagers could become smarter just by taking a pill that stimulates a part of the brain that controls learning and memory, scientists say.

Researchers claim to have discovered the brain receptor that dictates how much people can learn - especially during the all important puberty years - and armed with that knowledge they could develop a smart pill to help teenagers expand their minds.

The receptor called alpha4-beta-delta appears to slow down learning when teenagers hit puberty.

Instead of parents spending tens of thousands of pounds on private school fees, they could give their teenagers a regular dose of steroids to negate its effect, researchers say.

The brain receptor develops in the hippocampus, which controls learning and memory, when children hit puberty.

But researchers say giving children a steroid can stop the receptor and boost teenagers' memory.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at March 25, 2010 2:13 AM
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