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Cited by 241Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical InnovationsCognitive Abilities and TestingNeurological Disorders and Treatments

Cognitive enhancement by drugs in health and disease

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Husain, Masud, Mehta, Mitul A.·2011·Trends in Cognitive Sciences
DOI 10.1016/j.tics.2010.11.002PMC PMC3020278
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Abstract

Attempts to improve cognitive function in patients with brain disorders have become the focus of intensive research efforts. A recent emerging trend is the use of so-called cognitive enhancers by healthy individuals. Here, we consider some of the effects - positive and negative - that current drugs have in neurological conditions and healthy people. We conclude that, to date, experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated relatively modest overall effects, most probably because of substantial variability in response both across and within individuals. We discuss biological factors that might account for such variability and highlight the need to improve testing methods and to extend our understanding of how drugs modulate specific cognitive processes at the systems or network level.

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  • D-amphetamine has been used to enhance cognitive performance in healthy individuals.

    “In addition, another application of these drugs is to enhance cognition in healthy individuals who are engaging in certain vocations, referred to as cognitive enhancers (5).”

    From Effects of Lisdexamfetamine, a Prodrug of D-Amphetamine, on Locomotion, Spatial Cognitive Processing and Neurochemical Profiles in Rats: A Comparison With Immediate-Release Amphetamine (2022) · cites this paper as [5]

    The “Uses of cognitive enhancement” section says that drugs including methylphenidate and modafinil are used by healthy people, including students and military personnel, to maintain or improve performance. The “Effects of genotype on response to drugs” section reports improved performance after a dose of amphetamine in one genotype group, but deterioration in another; it does not identify the drug as D-amphetamine or establish its use for enhancement in healthy people in particular vocations. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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Authors
Husain, M., & Mehta, M. A.
Affiliations
King's College London (GB)
ORCID
Mehta, Mitul A.
Venue
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-01
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
28-36
ISSN
1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.tics.2010.11.002
PMC
PMC3020278
OpenAlex
W2027838133
Cited by
241
References
16
Citations by year
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FWCI
0.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (061140)
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurological Disorders and Treatments
Keywords
cognitive enhancement, nootropic drugs, healthy individuals, brain disorders, drug effects on cognition, interindividual variability, response variability, cognitive processes, artificial neural networks
MeSH terms
Brain, Brain Diseases, Central Nervous System Agents, Cognition, Humans, Individuality, Neurotransmitter Agents

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