Well, I don't think statistics correlate well. One of my qualms
with the education system is they focus on averages and norms
and statistical smoothing for measuring education progress. The
outliers are statistical anomalies. They get send off to
"special education" - which includes both people who are
"slower" and people who are "talented and gifted".
They don't fit the bell curve. They get socially screwed and, if
they don't end up in a decent special education program that's
tailored properly for their needs? It's a problem.
We only have certain biochemicals that affect brain function.
Then we can take other substances (and there's only a LOT OF
VARIATIONS of a very few base substances that can cross the
blood-brain barrier; the barrier successfully blocks out MOST
things from entering the brain thankfully)...
.. and what those substances do is change the levels in the
"state system" that is the brain.
A little more acetycholene is bumped up? This happens. A little
more Dopamine is bumped? This other thing happens.
Excesses in one area cause deficiencies in another in a very
complicated dance of chemistry squirting around our skull.
I believe they make a difference. Nicotene and caffeine work
very well for my thinking clarity. Benedryl makes it foggy yet I
feel at ease and don't care. Too much nicotene and/or caffeine
and I get wired and my nerves are on edge (mostly skin) and
brings me into the land of anxiety-attack/uncertainty, etc.
I tipped the balance over too far.
So, balance, but which levels are optimum for the best possible
brain function? Honestly, I wish I could find an internal
medicine specialist of some kind that could just take a series
of tests, find out my levels, prescribe me the shit that
optimizes brain function by maintaining the chemical levels at
their best...
..but our biotech just ain't there yet. We got decades to go at
least.
