Learning drugs reawaken grown-up brain's inner child -- Increase brain DNA plasticity with valoporate

Amazing developments in brain plasticity for grown-ups.  Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"January 2014 by Helen Thomson -- A drug for perfect pitch is just the start: mastering new skills could become easy if we can restore the brain's youthful ability to create new circuits

A mood-stabilising drug can help you achieve perfect pitch – the ability to identify any note you hear without inferring it from a reference note.

Since this is a skill that is usually acquired only early in life, the discovery is the first evidence that it may be possible to revert the human brain to a childlike state, enabling us to treat disorders and unlock skills that are difficult, if not impossible, to acquire beyond a certain age.

From bilingualism to sporting prowess, many abilities rely on neural circuits that are laid down by our early experiences. Until the age of 7 or so, the brain goes through several "critical periods" during which it can be radically changed by the environment. During these times, the brain is said to have increased plasticity.

In order to take advantage of these critical periods, the brain needs to be stimulated appropriately so it lays down the neuronal circuitry needed for a particular ability. For example, young children with poor sight in one eye may develop lazy eye, or amblyopia. It can be treated by covering the better eye, forcing the child to use the lazy eye – but this strategy only works during the critical period."

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24831-learning-drugs-reawaken-grownup-brains-inner-child.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news