Brain Control Through Big Pharma - Forget about life-work-balance. A new generation of drugs promise unlimited increases in productivity without the need for rest or sleep. "Brain doping" is the latest trend among high flyers. Move over, Aldous Huxley: Pharmaceutical companies work on a Brave New You by developing pills that increase mental capability, stimulate desire, and heighten the mood. A meaningful life full of happiness and success - without side effects. The industry hopes for fantastic profits if the pretty pills become socially acceptable. Do we find ourselves at the dawn of a new era, in which cosmetic neurology is an everyday phenomenon?
Drugs that "enhance" thinking are nothing new-caffeine and even more addictive substances have, for better or worse, altered our cognitive abilities for centuries, while medications have long been prescribed for conditions like ADHD. But scientists are at work on entirely new kinds of brain-boosting advances which will be non-addictive (theoretically, at least) and designed for general use. This program explores some of those innovations as it visits neuroscience research laboratories around the world. From the brave new world of "intelligence pills" to the technique known as transcranial direct current stimulation, pioneered by University of Sydney professor Alan Snyder, the film helps viewers assess the possibilities at hand. Is a new era of human creativity dawning, or will the end results amount to cosmetic neurology or worse?
(2011 Documentary)
Length: 52 minutes
