For decades we have listened about how we have a finite number of brain cells which is the highest at a certain age and how that number then exponentially decreases as we age. We were also told that if our brain cells get damaged for any reason - due to alcohol, drugs, hypoxia, physical trauma, etc - they cannot regenerate. It was said that aging of our brains poses the limit to how long we can ultimately live.
In the past we have seen medicine eat its words many times and now it will have to do so again as studies show brain cells have considerable regenerative capabilities. It is not yet understood how but studies have shown that certain substances can regenerate damaged tissue, revive presumably dead cells and even promote growth of new gray matter.
Many of these substances are already used as nootropics or to suppress symptoms of ADHD, but in the near future they might be the answer to diseases like Alzheimer's and myalgia gravis and may even be used after physical trauma to promote regeneration of parts which would otherwise remain unfunctional. One of the studies has shown that patients with brain trauma can heal 15% better with these substances than without them.
Imagine you damage your speech center or vision center and that a simple pill can be the difference between being able to speak/see or being without that capability for the rest of your life. The treatment could be so simple and cheap yet most doctors either know nothing of this or deny it. Granted, safety and efficacy have not been studied in detail yet but considering the promising results so far one could expect this treatment to be offered to those patients who have nothing to lose. Yet despite the fact that many of those substances have virtually no side effects they are still avoided by official medicine.
There is some official research revolving around this but it is slow, limited and receives little publicity. Nevertheless more and more people are becoming aware that they can help themselves and so they are turning to diet changes, natural nootropics and other remedies originating from nature. If chosen right all this can work, as natural remedies can be just as strong as laboratory drugs. But the important thing is that we now have a proof that brains can be healed and maybe we will now continue the research to achieve more ambitious goals - like expanding our useful and productive lifetime beyond 100 years. We can already see this is possible as some regions in the world have a statistically significant number of very old population which is still healthy. Genetics of those inhabitants are said to not be the cause of this but rather the lifestyle and local diet.
Green tea for example has long been linked to good overall health but now it is also being linked to slower mental decline with aging. Omega 3 fatty acids from diets high in fresh fish are also presumed to have a positive effect on aging brain, but some local customs might hold much more potent substances. In Europe, for example, Sage and Periwinkle were used in rituals and celebrations in pre-christian and early christian times because they have a strong effect on mind and body. Nowadays these herbs are nearly forgotten among people but pharmaceutics are starting to make nootropics from them which are possible cures for age related cognitive decline.
These so called cognitive enhancers are not the only thing which should be more known and more used. I know many people which could benefit greatly even from that 15% improvement, and i know many more who have found solutions to other issues (like cancer, multiple sclerosis, etc) in semi-natural remedies.
It is remarkable how much more modern medicine could do for us if it just took the blinders off… instead it often prescribes strange patented compounds with many harmful side effects despite there being a cheaper option with far less side effects and same or even better effects.
But this is a story for another post, for now i leave you with the notion to always doubt everything, do your own research and to study new research papers not just in your field of occupation but also other fields which might someday help you.