
Blood Work: Scientists Uncover Surprising New Tools to Rejuvenate the Brain - sjcsjc
http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2014/01/122211/blood-work-scientists-uncover-surprising-new-tools-rejuvenate-brain
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reasonattlm
There is little to no scientific backing for any particular cognitive training
games/tool to be any better than any other activity that would be put under
the "enriched environment" heading if we were talking about mice. It is an
area marked by long claims on short evidence, and commercial products that are
borderline fraud.

That is very different from the effects of altering clearly identified protein
levels in the blood such as GDF-11 [1], which produce robust and defensible
effects, clearly demarcated and measured.

It is the typically sad state of things to see the primary source, the
university, shackle these two things together in the name of promotion.

[1]: [http://hsci.harvard.edu/news/functioning-aged-brains-and-
mus...](http://hsci.harvard.edu/news/functioning-aged-brains-and-muscles-mice-
made-younger)

~~~
Delmania
The key point is "any other activity". For most people, the cognitive games on
their phones are probably the most accessible enriched environment tools. The
blood, on the other hand, seems to be fraught with complications, from basic
health concerns to economic issues. The Red Cross is almost always calling for
more donations to blood, I can't imagine the situation improving if richer
people start buying the blood of younger people.

~~~
kaybe
How about an organisation you can join where you donate your blood when you're
young and receive blood when you're older?

Of course there can be problems in the long run (just like the German pension
scheme has some), and it is necessary to create trust, but it's fairer than
the outlook you present.

~~~
seanp2k2
Not clear if you meant that you'd be donating for yourself, but blood only
lasts 42 days (plasma lasts up to a year): [http://nybloodcenter.org/donate-
blood/become-donor/donation-...](http://nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/become-
donor/donation-faqs/)

~~~
kaybe
No, I meant that the young people donate for the old, and that once they turn
old there will (hopefully) be more young people to donate blood, again to
receive blood from other young people when they turn old. Kind of like a
pension scheme (at least the one we have in Germany works that way).

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WhitneyLand
Interesting they did not mention the first human trial of young blood infusion
that started at Stanford late last year and should already be completed.

Also since blood transfusions are an established practice, I wonder why the
"anti-aging institutes" aren't jumping all over this to offer expensive
treatments as is done with testosterone and other therapies lacking sufficient
evidence of efficacy and safety.

~~~
kaybe
There was a post secret a while back about a secret club at Harvard where
researchers already use the techniques for themselves. (And people never lie
on the internet, so...)

([http://postsecret.com/](http://postsecret.com/) Sadly the images are deleted
after a week or two, I can't find the one I'm talking about.

found it somewhere else: [http://www.thedotspot.net/2014/11/23/postsecret-pic-
of-the-w...](http://www.thedotspot.net/2014/11/23/postsecret-pic-of-the-week-
vampire-club-and-a-poll/))

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marak830
Hmm that's quite interesting. I would have liked to see the results for the 20
year olds after 12 hours of practice as well, although i would just like to
see if they bridged the gap or kept an even lead( I'd imagine the gap had
shrunk).

I also wonder if I can try that game out myself Haha, ill have to search when
I'm home.

Thankyou for the link, it was quite interesting.

~~~
cjg
"NeuroRacer is not commercially available. We do not have any plans of release
NeuroRacer to the public because it was developed as a research tool and not a
consumer product."

[http://gazzaleylab.ucsf.edu/neuroscience-
projects/neuroracer...](http://gazzaleylab.ucsf.edu/neuroscience-
projects/neuroracer/)

~~~
analognoise
Or it is because Zynga is a donor.

[http://gazzaleylab.ucsf.edu/neuroscience-
research/donors/](http://gazzaleylab.ucsf.edu/neuroscience-research/donors/)

They can't release it for free because Zynga wants first crack at making money
off of it if it has promise as a commercial product.

Just a guess, but it sounds like less bullshit than their stated rationale.

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kbart
So, Elizabeth Báthory was right after all? /s

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facepalm
Sounds like a classic premise for a horror/crime movie.

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passfree
Futurama anyone?

