Prevalence of Methylphenidate Misuse in Medical Colleges in Pakistan: A Cross-sectional Study

Javed, Nismat; Ahmed, Fatimah; Saeed, Sikandar; Amir, Raham; Khan, Hadia Y; Iqbal, Saima Perwaiz

doi:10.7759/cureus.5879

Cited by 13 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Indeed, the main motivations for misusing methylphenidate may relate to improving concentration (65.2%), helping with studying (59.8%) and increasing wakefulness (47.5%) [ 73 ]. Other studies have associated methylphenidate misuse with the need to help with concentration, stay alert, have more energy and improve self-confidence levels [ 17 , 34 , 70 ]. A 2019 UK qualitative study with Biomedical Science undergraduate students examined their understanding of the risks of non-prescribed drugs, and particularly modafinil, misuse.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The past few years have seen increasing levels of concern about the use of pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement among university students worldwide, with the lifetime prevalence of CEs misuse among these subjects ranging from 6% to 20%, depending on the study subject [ 67 ]. Of particular concern, however, is CE’s use in Health Sciences/ Biomedical students [ 34 , 36 , 38 , 39 , 45 , 48 , 54 , 57 , 63 , 67 , 70 , 71 ]. Most data initially emerged from the United States [ 61 , 75 , 113 ], eventually followed by reports from the United Kingdom [ 22 ], Australia [ 46 , 50 ]; and Europe, namely from France [ 53 , 60 ], and Italy [ 38 , 69 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Cognitive enhancers (CEs), also known as “smart drugs”, “study aids” or “nootropics” are a cause of concern. Recent research studies investigated the use of CEs being taken as study aids by university students. This manuscript provides an overview of popular CEs, focusing on a range of drugs/substances (e.g., prescription CEs including amphetamine salt mixtures, methylphenidate, modafinil and piracetam; and non-prescription CEs including caffeine, cobalamin (vitamin B12), guarana, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and vinpocetine) that have emerged as being misused. The diverted non-prescription use of these molecules and the related potential for dependence and/or addiction is being reported. It has been demonstrated that healthy students (i.e., those without any diagnosed mental disorders) are increasingly using drugs such as methylphenidate, a mixture of dextroamphetamine/amphetamine, and modafinil, for the purpose of increasing their alertness, concentration or memory. Aim: To investigate the level of knowledge, perception and impact of the use of a range of CEs within Higher Education Institutions. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted in adherence with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Whilst 1400 studies were identified within this study through a variety of electronic databases (e.g., 520 through PubMed, 490 through Science Direct and 390 through Scopus), 48 papers were deemed relevant and were included in this review. Results: The most popular molecules identified here included the stimulant CEs, e.g., methylphenidate, modafinil, amphetamine salt mixtures and caffeine-related compounds; stimulant CEs’ intake was more prevalent among males than females; drugs were largely obtained from friends and family, as well as via the Internet. It is therefore suggested that CEs are increasingly being used among healthy individuals, mainly students without any diagnosed cognitive disorders, to increase their alertness, concentration, or memory, in the belief that these CEs will improve their performance during examinations or when studying. The impact of stimulant CEs may include tolerance, dependence and/or somatic (e.g., cardiovascular; neurological) complications. Discussion: The availability of CEs for non-medical indications in different countries is influenced by a range of factors including legal, social and ethical factors. Considering the risk factors and motivations that encourage university students to use CE drugs, it is essential to raise awareness about CE-related harms, counteract myths regarding “safe” CE use and address cognitive enhancement in an early stage during education as a preventative public health measure.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

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“…For example, a prevalence rate of 3.5% of ADHD was found among medical college students in China, and was associated with suicidality through drinking, smoking and depression [8]. A study from Pakistan revealed that 5.1% of medical students admitted that they had ADHD, despite the fact that the prevalence should be higher according to one concurrent report of methylphenidate use [9]. A similar rate of prevalence was found in Iran (5.4%) [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Prevalence of ADHD symptoms and their correlations with mental health-related variables among medical student

Boonnag¹,

Siritikun²,

Chalanun³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Objectives Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral development disorder contributed to social difficulties and affective problems. ADHD was evidently related to perceived stress, internet addiction and depression, leading to academic problems. However, ADHD symptoms among young medical student remains underreported. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ADHD and explore the association between ADHD symptoms and mental health-related conditions among medical students. Results Among 124 participants of first year medical students in Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 78 (62.9%) were female. The average age was 18.7 (SD 0.7). Thirty-one (25%) were considered as having ADHD symptoms based on the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale screener (ASRS). The group with ADHD symptoms showed higher scores on the internet addiction test core (t = 3.27, p = .001), perceived stress scale (t = 2.94, p = .004) and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (t = 3.04, p = .003). No difference was found between groups regarding depression and perceived social support scores. However, the total score of ASRS appeared to significantly correlate with all these mental health- related variables. The relatively high prevalent may have contributed to invalid items of ASRS, for which a new or revised scale is needed.

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“…no entanto, obteve relatos de melhor atenção e um maior nível de vigília como alguns impressão de que ela pode ajudar os estudantes a destacarem-se nos seus estudos. No entanto, a abstinência duradoura é uma grande desvantagem e é responsável por desencadear um ciclo vicioso de dependência da droga (JAVED et al, 2019).…”

Section: Efeitos Do Mph No Sistema Nervoso Centralunclassified

Toxicologia: uma abordagem multidisciplinar – Volume I

Bachur¹

2021

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Desde os períodos mais remotos, nas civilizações primitivas, substâncias presentes na natureza eram utilizadas para fins diversos, como a caça e extermínio de inimigos. Com a evolução da humanidade, muitos esforços têm sido feitos para o avanço no conhecimento acerca do uso seguro de substâncias presentes em diversos contextos da vida, através da identificação e caracterização do potencial tóxico e das condições de exposição a estas substâncias que podem repercutir em perigo para os seres vivos. Deste modo, o objetivo principal destes avanços consiste em prevenir agravos relacionados ao contato ou exposição com substâncias potencialmente tóxicas. Em nosso cotidiano, estamos constantemente expostos a potenciais agentes tóxicos, mesmo que não percebamos, a exemplo dos medicamentos, alimentos, substâncias presentes nos meios ocupacional e ambiental, além das substâncias produzidas e usadas intencionalmente por exercer atividades tóxicas no organismo, como as drogas de abusos lícitas e ilícitas. Assim, a Toxicologia surge como a ciência que, em suas diferentes áreas de atuação, busca compreender a natureza, os mecanismos das ações tóxicas e as alterações biológicas resultantes da exposição de um organismo vivo a diferentes substâncias químicas. No contexto da saúde humana, o papel principal desta ciência é a avaliação de risco e o estabelecimento de medidas preventivas e corretivas para a utilização segura destas substâncias pelo homem. O estudo acerca de acidentes por animais peçonhentos também se enquadra no escopo da Toxicologia. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) estima que ocorrem 5 milhões de acidentes por picada de serpente por ano, resultando em 2,5 milhões de envenenamentos e em, pelo menos, 100.000 mortes. Portanto, tanto as intoxicações exógenas como os envenenamentos por animais peçonhentos correspondem a relevantes situações de risco à saúde que requerem atendimento especializado, constituindo um sério problema sanitário mundial. De modo agudo, as intoxicações e envenenamentos ocorrem em diversos contextos, como intenção suicida, acidentes, abuso de substâncias, prescrições médicas equivocadas, dentre outros. Porém, também a exposição crônica a substâncias com potencial tóxico pode desencadear consequências deletérias ao organismo a longo prazo, a exemplo da mutagênese e da carcinogênese. Este cenário requer a formação aaaaa LLLLLLLLLIIIII de profissionais de diferentes áreas do conhecimento, especialmente da área da saúde, com visão integrada, multidisciplinar e abrangente sobre Toxicologia. Neste contexto, a proposta da obra “Toxicologia: uma abordagem multidisciplinar” é trazer, ao leitor, estudos que contemplam as diversas áreas da Toxicologia demonstrando o impacto de diferentes tipos de substâncias sobre a saúde humana.

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Prevalence of Methylphenidate Misuse in Medical Colleges in Pakistan: A Cross-sectional Study

Cited by 13 publications

References 20 publications

The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review

The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review

Prevalence of ADHD symptoms and their correlations with mental health-related variables among medical student

Toxicologia: uma abordagem multidisciplinar – Volume I

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