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18 posts found
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Feb 05, 2026
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Links For February 2026

48 min • 7,419 words • 660 comments • 255 likes • podcast (49 min)
A monthly collection of diverse links covering AI developments and regulation, COVID origins debates, healthcare policy, cultural phenomena, scientific research, and internet curiosities, maintaining Scott's characteristic blend of serious analysis and entertaining observations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander's February 2026 links collection covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, politics, science, culture, and internet phenomena. Major themes include updates on AI capabilities and regulation (with discussions of OpenAI, Anthropic, and various political machinations around AI policy), the ongoing COVID lab leak debate and related prediction markets, healthcare and drug development issues, cultural observations from around the world, and various scientific and academic findings. The post maintains Scott's characteristic style of jumping between serious policy discussions, academic research, internet curiosities, and cultural commentary, with particular attention to AI safety concerns, rationalist community topics, and interesting historical or linguistic oddities. Shorter summary
Aug 14, 2025
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In Defense Of The Amyloid Hypothesis

70 min • 10,813 words • 188 comments • 279 likes • podcast (35 min)
A guest post defending the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease, explaining why amyloid is likely the root cause despite recent criticism and discussing why early treatments have only been partially effective. Longer summary
David Schneider-Joseph presents a detailed defense of the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease, which states that the disease is caused by accumulation of amyloid-β peptide. He explains the ATN model (amyloid → tau → neurodegeneration) and provides extensive evidence from genetics, clinical studies, and animal models. The post addresses various criticisms of the hypothesis, including the recent research fraud controversy and apparent failures of early treatments. The author explains why current treatments have only achieved about 30% efficacy and predicts that future treatments targeting amyloid earlier and more effectively could achieve much better results. Shorter summary
Jul 11, 2025
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Your Review: Of Mice, Mechanisms, and Dementia

51 min • 7,754 words • 170 comments • 183 likes • podcast (48 min)
A detailed review of a 1995 paper introducing the PDAPP mouse model for Alzheimer's disease, examining how its limitations were overlooked and shaped decades of potentially misguided Alzheimer's research. Longer summary
The post reviews a landmark 1995 paper introducing the PDAPP mouse model for Alzheimer's disease, analyzing how its technical achievements and limitations shaped three decades of Alzheimer's research. The author examines the paper's methodology, results, and claims, showing how the model's flaws - including extreme protein overexpression and lack of key disease features - were overlooked in favor of a compelling but incomplete amyloid cascade hypothesis, leading to years of failed drug development and missed opportunities to explore alternative approaches. Shorter summary
Mar 12, 2025
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The Ozempocalypse Is Nigh

11 min • 1,644 words • 489 comments • 730 likes • podcast (11 min)
Scott analyzes the implications of the FDA ending compounded GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which have provided a cheaper alternative to official channels for the past three years, and examines various responses from both compounding pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. Longer summary
Scott discusses the upcoming end to compounded GLP-1 weight loss drugs in the US, as the FDA declares the shortage over. He explains how for the past three years, compounding pharmacies have provided these drugs at $200/month compared to the official $1000/month price, helping about 2 million Americans. The post explores various strategies companies are using to try to continue providing cheaper alternatives, and how pharmaceutical companies are responding with their own direct-to-consumer models. Scott concludes by noting how this experiment in semi-free-market medicine has shown that a less regulated supply chain can work effectively. Shorter summary
Dec 08, 2022
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Know Your GABA-A Receptor Subunits

8 min • 1,173 words • 109 comments • 89 likes • podcast (9 min)
Scott explores GABA-A receptor subunits, their effects, and how various drugs interact with them, discussing potential for more selective drug development. Longer summary
This post explores GABA-A receptor subunits and their role in psychiatric drugs and supplements. It explains the structure of GABA-A receptors, focusing on the alpha subunits and their associated effects. The post discusses how different drugs like benzodiazepines and zolpidem (Ambien) interact with these subunits, and mentions attempts to create more selective drugs. It also touches on the role of GABA receptors in alcohol's effects and the classification of Z-drugs. The author includes personal experiences with supplements claiming to have selective GABA modulation. Shorter summary
Mar 08, 2022
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Zounds! It's Zulresso and Zuranolone!

24 min • 3,655 words • 117 comments • 73 likes • podcast (30 min)
Scott Alexander examines Zulresso and Zuranolone, two neurosteroid drugs for postpartum depression, discussing their efficacy, challenges, and potential future applications. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses Zulresso (allopregnanolone) and Zuranolone, two related drugs for treating postpartum depression. He explains their mechanisms, efficacy, and the challenges in their development and usage. The post covers the history of allopregnanolone research, its connection to GABA and hormones, clinical trials, and potential future applications. Scott also discusses the high cost of Zulresso, its limited availability, and the mixed results of Zuranolone in treating regular depression and anxiety. The post ends with predictions about the future of these drugs and related research. Shorter summary
Jun 15, 2020
ssc
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The Vision Of Vilazodone And Vortioxetine

25 min • 3,750 words • 94 comments • podcast (27 min)
Scott Alexander examines the development and effectiveness of vilazodone and vortioxetine, two antidepressants designed to work faster and better than SSRIs, but which ultimately failed to live up to expectations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the development and effectiveness of two antidepressants, vilazodone and vortioxetine, which were designed to combine SSRI effects with 5-HT1A partial agonism. He explains the theoretical basis for their development, involving the role of presynaptic 5-HT1A autoreceptors in delaying SSRI effectiveness. The post then evaluates the clinical performance of these drugs, finding that despite their innovative design, they don't significantly outperform older antidepressants in efficacy, onset speed, or side effect profile. Scott expresses confusion about the theoretical underpinnings of these drugs and why pharmaceutical companies invested so heavily in their development. Shorter summary
May 22, 2019
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The APA Meeting: A Photo-Essay

30 min • 4,622 words • 451 comments • podcast (34 min)
Scott Alexander humorously describes his observations at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, highlighting pharmaceutical influence, social justice focus, and historical context of psychiatry. Longer summary
Scott Alexander attends the American Psychiatric Association meeting and shares his observations in a humorous photo-essay. He notes the overwhelming presence of pharmaceutical advertising, the conference's focus on social justice issues, the presence of Scientology protesters and CIA recruiters, and the abundance of new but seemingly unnecessary psychiatric drugs. He reflects on the historical context of psychiatry, including its past political biases and progress over time, while critiquing the current state of the field and its relationship with drug companies and social trends. Shorter summary
Jul 27, 2017
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Why Is Clozapine So Great?

8 min • 1,148 words • 27 comments
Scott explores the theory that clozapine's unique effectiveness in treating schizophrenia may be due to its combined action on dopamine and glutamate systems, potentially opening avenues for safer treatments. Longer summary
This post explores why clozapine is considered uniquely effective among antipsychotic drugs for treating schizophrenia. Scott discusses recent research suggesting clozapine's superiority may be due to its action on the glutamate system, specifically as an NMDA receptor agonist, in addition to its dopamine-blocking effects. He explains that adding NMDA modulators to other antipsychotics improves their efficacy, but not when added to clozapine, possibly because clozapine already has this effect. The post speculates that if this theory is correct, it could lead to safer treatments combining standard antipsychotics with NMDA agonists, avoiding clozapine's serious side effects. However, Scott notes that more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis and overcome regulatory hurdles. Shorter summary
Jun 05, 2017
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Is Pharma Research Worse Than Chance?

11 min • 1,551 words • 169 comments
Scott Alexander explores why recreational drugs like ketamine and MDMA have shown more promise in treating mental health conditions than intentionally developed pharmaceuticals, suggesting a new direction for drug research. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the surprising effectiveness of ketamine and MDMA in treating depression and PTSD respectively, noting that these recreational drugs have shown more promise than intentionally developed pharmaceuticals. He speculates on why this might be, suggesting that drugs with strong effects on the brain, even if originally used recreationally, might be more likely to have significant therapeutic benefits. Scott proposes that pharmaceutical research might be more productive if it focused on chemicals with powerful psychoactive effects, rather than prioritizing minimal side effects. He acknowledges potential counterarguments, including the possibility that ketamine's antidepressant effects may come from a non-psychoactive metabolite. Shorter summary
Feb 14, 2017
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Links 2/17: Site Your Sources

13 min • 1,974 words • 439 comments
A collection of interesting links from early 2017 covering drugs, education, politics, science and history, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a links post where Scott Alexander shares various interesting articles and studies he's come across. The post covers a wide range of topics including new drug developments, education statistics, political events around Trump's presidency, scientific discoveries, and historical curiosities. The format follows a typical links post structure with brief commentary on each link, often adding context or witty observations. Many items focus on current events from early 2017, including Trump administration policies and European political trends. Shorter summary
Mar 09, 2016
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Links 3/16: Rulink Class

20 min • 3,099 words • 52 comments
A links roundup post covering recent developments in science, medicine, psychology and politics, with particular focus on research replication issues and the 2016 election season. Longer summary
This is a links roundup post covering various recent research findings, news, and developments. It covers topics from toxoplasma research, drug trials, and scientific replication crises to politics and social issues. The post discusses several important developments in psychology including failed replications of established theories like ego depletion, updates on clinical trials and drug research, and various political developments around the 2016 election season. It maintains a light tone while discussing serious academic and scientific topics, including several meta-analyses and study critiques. Shorter summary
Aug 16, 2014
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An Iron Curtain Has Descended Upon Psychopharmacology

8 min • 1,144 words • 106 comments
Scott Alexander compares the disconnect between American and Russian psychopharmacology to having different chemical elements, exploring why effective Russian psychiatric drugs are unknown in America. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the stark contrast between American and Russian psychopharmacology, using an analogy of different chemical elements to illustrate the disconnect. He points out that many effective Russian psychiatric drugs are virtually unknown in America, despite having good evidential support. The post explores reasons for this divide, including FDA approval processes and legal concerns, and highlights the resulting limitations in treatment options for conditions like anxiety. Scott suggests that while the system's incentives lead to this seemingly irrational situation, a gray market for these drugs has emerged online. Shorter summary
Dec 02, 2013
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More Fictional Drugs Banned By The FDA

4 min • 563 words • 10 comments
Scott Alexander presents a satirical list of fictional drugs banned by the FDA, each with an absurd reason for its prohibition. Longer summary
This post is a humorous fictional list of drugs banned by the FDA. Each drug is presented with a profile describing its intended use, followed by an absurd or ironic reason for its ban. The drugs cover a range of conditions from weight loss to erectile dysfunction, with each ban highlighting unexpected consequences or bizarre side effects. The post uses scientific terminology and real medical concepts to create a sense of plausibility, before subverting expectations with the ridiculous reasons for the bans. Shorter summary
Oct 25, 2013
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List of Fictional Drugs Banned By The FDA

6 min • 898 words • 21 comments
Scott presents a humorous list of fictional drugs banned by the FDA, each with unexpected and often ironic consequences. Longer summary
This post is a satirical list of fictional drugs banned by the FDA, each with a unique profile and an often ironic or paradoxical reason for its ban. The drugs range from treatments for pre-traumatic stress disorder to antibiotics for intelligent bacteria. Each drug description includes its intended use and the unexpected consequences that led to its ban. The post uses humor and creativity to explore themes of unintended consequences in medicine, the complexities of drug development, and the sometimes absurd nature of bureaucratic decision-making. Shorter summary
Sep 12, 2013
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The Life Cycle of Medical Ideas

13 min • 1,942 words • 25 comments • podcast (15 min)
Scott Alexander examines the life cycle of medical ideas, discussing how promising treatments often get stuck in a 'grey area' between proven and alternative medicine. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the life cycle of medical ideas, focusing on three examples from about five years ago: Zamboni's multiple sclerosis theory, Gat and Goren's prostatic hyperplasia theory, and minocycline for schizophrenia. He explores how the medical community responds to new ideas, the challenges of getting promising treatments approved and widely used, and the role of drug companies in this process. Scott notes a 'grey area' between proven medicine and alternative medicine, where promising ideas often languish, and reflects on the potential for new organizations to speed up the evaluation and adoption of these ideas. Shorter summary
Aug 10, 2013
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Science & Medicine Links for August

10 min • 1,438 words • 11 comments
Scott Alexander presents a roundup of recent scientific and medical studies, covering topics from hallucinations to obesity genetics to schizophrenia treatment. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various scientific and medical studies and news. It covers a range of topics including hallucinations, diet and longevity, gene-environment interactions in psychiatry, life-extending drugs, fibromyalgia, chemical education, drug company tactics, sleep theories, psychotherapy effectiveness, obesity genetics, and schizophrenia treatment. Scott provides brief summaries and commentary on each item, often with a mix of scientific insight and humor. Shorter summary
Jun 12, 2013
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Biodjinnetics

1 min • 128 words • 32 comments
A short story about a genie granting a wish for the cure to cancer, with a twist highlighting the practical challenges of drug development and approval. Longer summary
This post is a short fictional story about a genie and a wish. The narrator frees a genie from a lamp and is granted one question. They ask for the cure for cancer, and the genie provides a specific answer: a compound called oxymercuriphine from the venom of the two-toed toad of Toronto. The twist comes when the genie, while technically fulfilling the wish, points out the practical difficulties of bringing such a cure to market due to the expensive and time-consuming FDA approval process. Shorter summary
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