Comments on: The Insulin-Like Hormone That Gives Rats a Memory Boost http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/01/27/the-insulin-like-hormone-that-gives-rats-a-memory-boost/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: fatkid http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/01/27/the-insulin-like-hormone-that-gives-rats-a-memory-boost/#comment-24882 fatkid Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:39:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=25505#comment-24882 Well observer may be on to something, but I will gladly get a scrip for igf II in order to still max on gyros platters and pizza puffs! The productivity gained by not having to look for my keys or my stash will offset its cost. Well observer may be on to something, but I will gladly get a scrip for igf II in order to still max on gyros platters and pizza puffs! The productivity gained by not having to look for my keys or my stash will offset its cost.

]]> By: Observer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/01/27/the-insulin-like-hormone-that-gives-rats-a-memory-boost/#comment-24881 Observer Sun, 30 Jan 2011 03:53:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=25505#comment-24881 Notice the link between this study and the Discover article on memory featured on 27 January 2009 entitled "Cutting calories drastically could boost senior citizens' memory". An individual who left a comment below the report suggested that this is because when the glycemic index of food intake is lowered - say, via fasting - insulin levels rise. Thus the two studies may both confirm the link between insulin levels and memory function. I'm no neurologist, so I speak on pure speculation based on layman skimming. Notice the link between this study and the Discover article on memory featured on 27 January 2009 entitled “Cutting calories drastically could boost senior citizens’ memory”. An individual who left a comment below the report suggested that this is because when the glycemic index of food intake is lowered – say, via fasting – insulin levels rise. Thus the two studies may both confirm the link between insulin levels and memory function. I’m no neurologist, so I speak on pure speculation based on layman skimming.

]]> By: Andrew Moseman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/01/27/the-insulin-like-hormone-that-gives-rats-a-memory-boost/#comment-24880 Andrew Moseman Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:14:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=25505#comment-24880 @Frodis The language is not "lifted from a press release;" the language "came up with" was taken from Science Magazine's ScienceNOW, which we quoted as is 80beats' style. But fair point about it being a classic experiment; I didn't mean to imply that they were the first people to ever put rats or mice through such a test. @Frodis The language is not “lifted from a press release;” the language “came up with” was taken from Science Magazine’s ScienceNOW, which we quoted as is 80beats’ style. But fair point about it being a classic experiment; I didn’t mean to imply that they were the first people to ever put rats or mice through such a test.

]]> By: Frodis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/01/27/the-insulin-like-hormone-that-gives-rats-a-memory-boost/#comment-24879 Frodis Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:20:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=25505#comment-24879 Hate to quibble, but these researchers did not "design" or "come up with" the box described. This is a classic behavioral psychology apparatus called a shuttle box and it is used in tests of "avoidance learning." The researchers simply used this decades-old test to investigate the effects of IGF-II on learning/memory (which is an appropriate application). I realize that this might be language lifted from a press release, but the way it is written makes it sound like the investigators invented this apparatus. They certainly did not...unless they are very, very old. Hate to quibble, but these researchers did not “design” or “come up with” the box described. This is a classic behavioral psychology apparatus called a shuttle box and it is used in tests of “avoidance learning.” The researchers simply used this decades-old test to investigate the effects of IGF-II on learning/memory (which is an appropriate application).

I realize that this might be language lifted from a press release, but the way it is written makes it sound like the investigators invented this apparatus. They certainly did not…unless they are very, very old.

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