Today people pimp their rides; their homes; and their bodies. Although nascent, some are using cosmetic neurology to pimp their brains. Sound far fetched It’s not.

Cosmetic neurology: the use of drugs by healthy people to manipulate mood, memory, concentration, libido, capacity to learn, and general ability to cope is diffusing through society much the same way cosmetic surgery has; only faster. Within 20 years cosmetic neurology could be as common as cosmetic procedures are today. The difference is, unlike enhancing our bodies, pimping our brains could change what it means to be human.

It wasn’t that long ago that getting a nip here or a tuck there was a carefully guarded secret. Then electing to go under the knife for purely cosmetic reasons was stigmatized; and deemed a frivolous vain indulgence available for the most part, to the rich and famous.

Societal attitudes have changed. Americans are increasingly opting for cosmetic enhancements. As they become safer, cheaper and less invasive. Going in for a nip tuck has morphed from a best kept secret to an acceptable practice; in some circles it is something to brag about and share with friends. Today people host Botox parties in much the same way that their mother’s hosted Tupperware parties. More and more professionals, both men and women, go the cosmetic route to gain and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace. Between 1992 and 2005 there’s been a 775% increase in total cosmetic procedures. In 2005, 10.2 million Americans had a cosmetic procedure. That’s equal to the entire population of Belarus! The cost for those procedures exceeded 9 billion dollars.

I was jetting through the mall, scanning the myriad kiosks that now clog the middle of the mall when I noticed something that surprised me. Sandwiched between the T-Mobile kiosk and the Great American Cookie Kiosk was a medical spa offering services such as Botox and Restalyne injections. Wow! If cosmetic enhancement can go from a best kept secret to just another thing to do at the mall in the span of 50 years, what does that mean for the future of cosmetic neurology?

Today millions of Americans from school age through adults are using drugs intended to treat neurological and psychiatric illnesses to enhance their brain power. A 2006 National Institute of Drug Addiction study shows that the more competitive the college, the more incidents of smart drug abuse, and a 2002 University of Wisconsin study found that as many as one in five college students have illegally used prescription drugs such as Adderall. Joel Garreau, staff writer for the Washington Post, noted in a recent article that total sales of smart drugs such as Adderrall and Provigil have increased by more than 300 percent in only four years. Additionally, a recent study published in the Journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence revealed that an estimated 7 million Americans used drugs intended to treat attention deficit - hyperactivity disorder illegally; of almost 2 million of the users were school age.

Just as cosmetic surgery has its roots in reconstructive surgery which was made necessary by the need to restore form and function to injured soldiers in World Wars I and II, it has since evolved into a distinct branch of surgery with its own procedures and techniques. Cosmetic neurology is rooted in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, depression and hyperactivity - attention deficit disorder. Discovering that some drugs developed to treat neurological illnesses also sharpen intellect and improve performance has been due more to serendipity and trial and error than to a deliberate push to develop neuro-enhancing drugs. However, this is changing and we are witnessing the dawn of the age of cosmetic neurology.

Implications for your future

It is not a question as to whether or not cosmetic neurology will diffuse through society. It will. Market demand and breakthroughs in biotechnology and neuroscience will move the emerging field of cosmetic neurology from one of serendipity and trial and error to one of rational drug design.

Imagine this scenario. Steve, an investment banker, has been forgetting things lately. A missed lunch date with friends last Saturday, a forgotten haircut appoint just yesterday. He’s also noticed that he’s having difficulty recalling details. This can’t continue, his forgetfulness threatens his career. He makes an appointment for a Brain Brush Up treatment at Mentality, neurospa near the office. The brain brush up exfoliates all the plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease, ending that dazed and confused feeling. He might just spend the day at Mentality; he could get his brain brushed, have the memory of his ex-girlfriend erased and get a brain glo to help him get over the winter blues.

Cosmetic neurology raises significant issues about what is safe, fair and ethical. For instance, should you have to enhance yourself to retain your job or enhance your child so that they can get in specific schools Should those that are enhanced be compelled to disclose this information Should preference be given to the natural or the enhanced How will this technology be distributed in society?

We’re reaching a tipping point in regards to a policy that will guide the implementation of cosmetic neurology. If we don’t decide how we want the neuro-enhancers used in our society then by default we will decide that anything goes. Unlike pimping our bodies, pimping our brains could change what it means to be human.