Discovery of gatekeeper nerve cells explains the effect of nicotine on learning and memory
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-discovery-gatekeeper-nerve-cells-effect.html
"It is known that nicotine improves cognitive processes including learning and memory, but this is the first time that an identified nerve cell population is linked to the effects of nicotine", says Professor Klas Kullander at Scilifelab and Uppsala University.
There was collection of essays in the early 1970s that included an article on how to learn to type in 72 hours with use of hallucinogenic drugs. I remember sitting in my small apartment, stoned out of my gourd wishing I did not already know how to type so that I could use the method on myself. Before all the anti-drug hoopla stopped most research into drugs like LSD and Mescaline, there were some very interesting experiments including one where (don't get squeamish on me) the optic nerve of rats was cut just behind the eyes. The rats were given acid and the optic nerve was sending visual signals as if the eyes were still functioning.
Once, when I was bartending in a dance-hall in 1971 (Billings, Mt - the place was called Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde's because it was a businessman's lunch place during the day and wild dancehall at night) I had just introduced a friend of mine who had some acid to sell to another friend who wanted to buy some acid to sell to each other - well, they each, separately, very thoughtfully dropped a hit of acid into my drink. So there I was watching the rock band play when suddenly a full 76 piece brass band appeared and marched across the dance floor. The bar I was working was not the typical bar against the wall that had only one side for customer, nope - this was central bar with customers coming up for drinks a full 360 around. I began to think of myself as a spider in the center of a web with all these strands leading out to the customers. There were patterns of movement (tugs on the strands) that passed through the crowd and I began to be able to predict how and when people would be coming up for drinks - fortunately for me this was a beer-only joint so it was pretty easy to guess what people wanted. But it caused some consternation when I would meet the person as they approached the bar with their beer already poured. Eventually, I realized that I was high and that there was no John Philip Sousa band competing with the rock band; that I was not really a spider; that maybe I should take a break. I grabbed a friend and asked her to take a walk around the block with me. Halfway around the block we looked at each other and said at the same time "are you walking me around the block or am I walking you around the block" - we thought that was so funny we sat down and laughed for about 20 minutes.
I think it was shortly after that I was fired from that job.
but I digress
Nicotine is a nasty drug and you should not abuse it just to get high or to learn stuff.
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