Smart drugs can boost the performance of those who are lacking in creativity
but do not help those who are academically bright, a study has found.
A survey suggested that one in five students have taken so-called “wake-up
drug” Modafinil to boost their ability to study and improve their chances of
exam success.
The study, published in the journal Plos One, involved 64 people, half of
whom were given a placebo.
Dr Ahmed Dahir Mohamed, from the University of Nottingham, found that by
taking the drug, those who were not creative were able to improve their
performance in problem solving.
But healthy people functioning at the optimum level found their performance
impaired.
"Our study backs up previous research that suggests psychostimulants improve
people at the lower end of the spectrum in cognition whereas they impair people
who are at the optimum level of cognitive function,” he said.
Dr Mohamed warned that Modafinil could stifle lateral thinking in otherwise healthy individuals.
"What I have found in my doctoral studies is that if you are already a healthy person and functioning at an optimum level, it is really difficult to improve your cognition,” he added.
"But the brain of the adolescent is still in development and you might be able to improve cognition at this stage of your development through positive interaction, healthy diet or mindfulness."
Participants in the study took a neuropsychological task known as the Hayling Sentence Completion Test in which they were asked to respond quickly and accurately to tasks.
Dr Mohamed said: "It has been argued that Modafinil might improve your performance by delaying your ability to respond.
"It has been suggested this 'delay dependent improvement' might improve cognitive performance by making people less impulsive.
"We found no evidence to support those claims. Our research showed that when a task required instant reactions the drug just increased reaction times with no improvement to cognitive performance."
Last year, more than a quarter of students at Oxford University who answered a survey admitted taking Modafinil to boost their exam performance.
The drug, which is legally available, is usually prescribed to treat narcolepsy.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says it should only be taken following a "full consultation with a doctor".
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11226740/Smart-drug-may-help-improve-creative-problem-solving.html
Dr Mohamed warned that Modafinil could stifle lateral thinking in otherwise healthy individuals.
"What I have found in my doctoral studies is that if you are already a healthy person and functioning at an optimum level, it is really difficult to improve your cognition,” he added.
"But the brain of the adolescent is still in development and you might be able to improve cognition at this stage of your development through positive interaction, healthy diet or mindfulness."
Participants in the study took a neuropsychological task known as the Hayling Sentence Completion Test in which they were asked to respond quickly and accurately to tasks.
Dr Mohamed said: "It has been argued that Modafinil might improve your performance by delaying your ability to respond.
"It has been suggested this 'delay dependent improvement' might improve cognitive performance by making people less impulsive.
"We found no evidence to support those claims. Our research showed that when a task required instant reactions the drug just increased reaction times with no improvement to cognitive performance."
Last year, more than a quarter of students at Oxford University who answered a survey admitted taking Modafinil to boost their exam performance.
The drug, which is legally available, is usually prescribed to treat narcolepsy.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says it should only be taken following a "full consultation with a doctor".
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11226740/Smart-drug-may-help-improve-creative-problem-solving.html
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