So what about 'is rib then, Matey?

Does this mean a future with a clear mind?

Do not try this at home!

“ISRIB’s extremely rapid effects show for the first time that a significant component of age-related cognitive losses may be caused by a kind of reversible physiological ‘blockage’ rather than more permanent degradation,” Susanna Rosi, PhD, Professor of Neurological Surgery, Physical Therapy, and Rehabilitation Science, Univ. of California

Stumbling on this study, two images immediately came to my mind that I’ve never forgotten. First was the day the sewer system backed up due to my inadvertent flush of a used cotton diaper (I can still see it disappearing as I failed to grab its grubby little corner (thank heavens for RotoRooter). The second involved an enormous amount of leaves completely blocking the J-bend pipe below the sink. The leaves were stiff and creepy; we threw the whole thing in the trash without another thought about what they were and why they were there. But let’s move on to ISRIB.

The body’s integrated stress response (ISR) detects faulty cellular production of proteins which might occur as a genetic fault, viral infection, or, in the brain department, from the stress of aging or perhaps the presence of unwanted proteins such as those of Alzheimer’s Disease. Integrated Stress Response Inhibitor (ISRIB) is an experimental drug that works by correcting the ISR. It reboots cells’ protein production machinery after it gets choked by responses to stress.

In laboratory memory tests, older mice, injected with ISRIB, were amazed at the restoration of brainpower that, shortly after receiving the ISRIB dose, allowed them to navigate a maze with the prowess of their younger selves.

Laboratory studies have suggested ISRIB can improve memory after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and reverse cognitive impairments in Down Syndrome. It may also prevent noise-related hearing loss, fight certain types of prostate cancer, and even enhance cognition in healthy individuals.

Well how can it get better than that? Here’s the answers to the public’s questions:

ISRIB is still in the preclinical development stage.

The safety of ISRIB in humans is currently unknown, though there may be toxicity in certain animal models.

Preclinical studies suggest ISRIB might provide acute cognitive benefits, but chronic administration might be detrimental.

No evidence for long-term usage, but cell culture studies suggesting ISRIB may exacerbate cell death in response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress* are concerning.

ISRIB is licensed by Calico, the well-funded, but enigmatic arm of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, which researches the biology of aging.

Sourced from various online research work including Professor Peter Walter of Univ. of Calif. who discovered the molecule in 2013.

Well at least the mice had fun!

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*The endoplasmic reticulum within cells fold proteins properly before releasing them from the cell interior. ER stress occurs when misfolded proteins show up due to lack of folding capacity in the ER. The response of cells to ER stress is called unfolded protein response (UPR).