Memory Enhancer

Scientists discover substance that may help improve memory.
The Wall Street Journal (1/27, D2, Wang, subscription required) reports that, according to research published in the journal Nature, scientists claim to have discovered a substance, called IGF-II, that may help improve their memory, at least in rats. When researchers blocked IGF-II, the rodents could not retain memories and forgot what they had learned. Notably, the study findings suggest that declarative memory (that is, the ability to remember things, places, and facts) can be improved. In patients with Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia, for example, declarative memory is severely affected. The scientists called for further study of IGF-II and said their findings indicate yet another possible future target for treating dementia in humans.