Smart drugs do motivate people, but the added effort can lead to “erratic thinking”, adversely affecting above-average performers, according to researchers.
Rapid advances in neuroscience are driving a huge shift in our understanding of how the brain works and could improve both our cognitive abilities and our brain health, writes Professor Barbara Sahakian (Department of Psychiatry) on The Conversation website.
Barbara Sahakian (Department of Psychiatry) discusses 'smart drugs' and other ways to boost our cognitive abilities.
Last month, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced the UK’s biggest ever single seizure of smart drugs, also known as cognitive enhancers. With over 20,000 units, of 13 different types of cognitive enhancement medicines, the seizure represents an approximate value of £200,000. Here, Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry discusses the implications. This article first appeared on The Conversation website on 31 October 2014.
What are the ethical implications for society of allowing healthy people to take ‘smart drugs’ to enhance their performance? Barbara Sahakian will discuss the issue at Hay this weekend.
Professor Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, has been researching cognitive enhancers for over a decade. Here she discusses the emergence of ‘smart drugs’ and the ethical and practical issues they raise.
© 2024 University of Cambridge