Cognitive enhancers. Developmental genes (axon guidance and targeting genes) are always expressed in the hippocampus. Since I often hear about cognitive enhancers improving memory, I wondered if cognitive enhancers somehow interact with axon guidance and targeting genes or proteins.
First, I looked up whether there is a correlation between axon guidance genes and “intelligence.” (Several genome-wide association studies suggests that there is [1 & 2]). But are these genes expressed in adults? Yes; specifically semaphorins (SEMA3) [1 & 3] and robo signaling [2 & 4]. Next, I searched for any drugs known to interact with axon guidance genes or whether people consider them as potential targets for cognitive enhancers.
I couldn’t find any articles or opinion pieces about targeting these specific genes for cognitive enhancers, but apparently methylphenidate and amphetamines alter axon guidance protein expression [5]. This last review mentions that the effect is indirect, which questions whether any of these developmental genes really are expressed differently in “smarter” people, or if they’re downstream of other more causative gene expression differences.
[1] PMID = 29186694
[2] PMID = 27225129
[3] PMID = 20010807
[4] PMID = 11754167
[5] PMID = 24065916
Originally posted on Instagram July 13, 2019
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