Neuroscientists call for immediate action to determine the dangers and benefits of cognitive-enhancing drug use in healthy people
There is growing 'lifestyle use' of cognitive-enhancing drugs -- such as methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin) and modafinil (marketed as Provigil) -- by healthy individuals to improve concentration, memory, and other aspects of cognitive performance. But very little is known about the long-term effects of this non-medical use, say the authors. "We simply do not know enough about how many healthy people are using cognitive-enhancing drugs, in what ways and why," explains Professor Sahakian. What evidence there is suggests that healthy individuals use cognitive-enhancing drugs to gain a competitive edge at school, university, or work, and for maintaining attention and performance when sleep derived or jet lagged. Most research has focused on student use in the USA with estimates varying between 5% and 35%. Worryingly, say the authors, this might only be the tip of the iceberg and is unlikely to be representative of usage in professional or older populations. A w...