Cognitive Enhancers

Question 1

Cognitive enhancers

Answer 1

Improve capabilities of healthy individuals usually via off label psychoactive drugs.
Can also be behavioural and technological.

Question 2

Ritalin

Answer 2

For ADHD. Schedule two drug, stimulates noradrenaline in PFC. High addiction liability.

Question 3

Adderall

Answer 3

For ADHD, amphetamine, schedule two, class B. Same biomechanics as ritalin and same high addiction liability.

Question 4

Modafinil

Answer 4

Narcolepsy, prescription only, weak dopamine transporter inhibitor. Very complex pharmacology not fully understood. Low addiction liability.

Question 5

Ethics

Answer 5

Is it fair? Does it even the playing field?
Who should use it, everyone or people with money?
Should some jobs have to take it like drs? In 1930s the army forced to take amphetamines to increase focus.

Question 6

University and smart drugs

Answer 6

Media suggests students should be drugs tested. Not actually possible. Assumes drugs are effective and wide spread.

Question 7

Media reporting of prevalence.

Answer 7

Thematic content analysis 2008-2010 142 newspaper articles on neuroenhancement.
54% claimed high and increasing prevalence. Global drugs survey suggests onle a slight increase. Prevalence changes between studies.

Question 8

Effects

Answer 8

Highly anecdotal, pharmacologically distinct effects likely to be different between drugs and cognitive domains. Cognitive functions aren’t isolated. Media claims increased brain and mental function. 42% of the time, claim increase exam performance but no evidence at all.

Question 9

Impact of media hyp

Answer 9

Unrealistic public expectations of drug effects. Could impact policy, could advertise or normalise.

Question 10

Repantis (2010) review of evidence.

Answer 10

Compared effect of methylphenidate and modafinil. Attention: meth small effect if sleep dep. Mod medium effect. No effect for mood, wakefulness or motivation for meth. Mod wakefulness increase if sleep dep decreased if rested.
Memory: increased performance only if sleep deo for mod. Exec function had no effect but overestimated performance.

Question 11

Randell 2005

Answer 11

Compared effect on high or low IQ. Larger effect on low IQ.

Can have a negative effect on high IQ

Question 12

Variance in reviews

Answer 12

Drugs have a small benefit that may not be detected in some studies due to inadequate power and designs. High IQ samples and lack of research in repeated use.
Could be false positives and publication bias.

Question 13

Battleday 2015. Modafinil

Answer 13

No effect on attention, positive effect on inhibitory control and working memory. String positive effect on complex tasks. Increase focus may limit flexibility and creativity.

Question 14

Marraccini 2016

Answer 14

Considered domains most relevant to academics. Processing speed accuracy consistent positive effects. Cognitive presentation, planning time and decision making were all inconclusive.

Question 15

Limitations of research

Answer 15

No long term studies
Tasks do not translate to real life.
Effects likely to be dependent on dose, individual differences, ability level and specific cognitive tasks.

Question 16

Role of expectancies

Answer 16

Balanced placebo designs. Did no better than chance when asked if had taken amphetamines. Subjective ratings of performance increase if thought they had taken. Slight objective improvement. Little improvement with actual drug. Expectancy has a larger effect than the drug.

Question 17

Harms of use

Answer 17

Most sources illegal. High addiction liability and toxicity. Evidence that they lower performance with higher IQ. Lower creativity.
More stronger effect for sleep, diet and excersise.