Cognitive enhancers are a new category of drugs, which have been created to make our lives better. The main aim of these drugs is to help millions of people worldwide who suffer from cognitive disorders or deficiencies.
Amongst the most common mental illnesses that affect us all, Alzheimer’s disease is on the top of this list. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, and it can only be treated with pharmaceuticals that aim to reduce the symptoms and slow down its development. As a result, scientists have turned their attention towards cognitive enhancers as they try to find a way to improve memory and cognition among patients suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson disease.
To understand how these medicines work, let’s look at some of them below:
Nootropics
These are the most popular and common cognitive enhancers in the world. Nootropics work by targeting neurochemicals in your brain, ensuring you have a working memory, and keeping your cognition stable throughout the day. The primary purpose of these drugs is to increase blood flow in areas of your brain that control functions such as memory, attention, and concentration.
They also help us improve our working memory, decision-making abilities, and problem-solving skills, all vital parts of our everyday lives. Furthermore, nootropics can boost creativity and motivation in individuals who take them regularly. As a result, they’re handy for students who want to get better grades or people trying to pursue an exciting career fulfilling their life’s dreams.
Modafinil
Modafinil is a drug that can help you maintain a well-balanced memory and concentration throughout the day. This is because it works by stimulating one to stay awake for long periods. The main reason why this tool was created is to treat those who suffer from sleep loss, as humans need at least eight hours of sleep every night to keep their memory stable. In addition to starting the brain cells’ energy levels, modafinil regulates neurotransmitters that control your startle response and reaction times. Thus, making users much more attentive towards their environment and surroundings around them, allowing them to perform tasks much faster than usually possible.
Adrafinil
This drug acts as prodrug modafinil. Both of the nootropics are very similar in their effects on memory and focus. However, adrafinil is substantially weaker than modafinil as it takes some time for your body to metabolize adrafinil and modafinil. However, this weakness can be turned into a strength as it lets you build up a tolerance towards these drugs so that they don’t affect you as much. That way, you can continue using them at higher doses without any side effects.
Propranolol
Propranolol is a drug that acts as a beta-blocker, and it’s used to treat high blood pressure; however, recently, this cognitive enhancer has been used experimentally for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In one of these studies, scientists found out that by using propranolol, they could reduce anxiety levels among Alzheimer’s patients, which can lead to an improvement of mood and less stress. Remember, stress is the number one enemy for preserving your brain function and fighting off diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsonism.
Deprenyl
Deprenyl is a drug that helps us improve our memory and concentration by preventing the depletion of dopamine within the brain. The main reason it’s used for this purpose is its neuroprotective properties. As we age, our neurons start degrading and releasing less dopamine in areas such as the prefrontal cortex. Thus making us more absent-minded and forgetful; however, this can be reversed with depression.
Piracetam
Piracetam is a nootropic drug that improves blood flow throughout your brain which in turn triggers new pathways to form between neurons within your brain; thus allowing you to think more clearly and focus on tasks at hand more easily. This allows people who suffer from anxiety during exams or presentations to calm down while taking piracetam. Furthermore, this drug has been proven very effective among students trying to get better grades in their finals.
All the drugs mentioned above share the exact mechanism of action: by targeting neurochemicals in our brain that control our cognitive abilities and improve memory and attention over long periods, enhancing our brain cells’ efficiency and energy levels.
However, it’s essential to remember that these drugs can cause side effects. For example, modafinil has been reported to cause mild skin rashes and hives in some users. That is why you should always consult your doctor before taking any cognitive enhancers, as they will let you know whether they are safe for you or not.
Finally, our everyday lives will become harder without cognitive enhancers going about. It’s vital to have a well-functioning memory and concentration to succeed in life, especially when you’re younger or even an adult. They help us by improving the neurotransmitters that control our sleep cycles and making us more attentive towards our surroundings, thus allowing us to perform vital tasks daily much easier than ever before.
