Towards a Moral Ecology of Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement in British Universities

Vagwala, Meghana Kasturi; Bicquelet, Aude; Didziokaite, Gabija; Coomber, Ross; Corrigan, Oonagh; Singh, Ilina

doi:10.1007/s12152-017-9336-5

Cited by 7 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Besides the discussion whether these substances have any objective detectable cognition enhancing effects on users (Repantis et al, 2010: p. 475–480; Farah et al, 2014: p. 97–100), there are normative concerns on the use of PCE (Schelle et al, 2014; Faber et al, 2016; Garasic and Lavazza, 2016; O’Connor and Nagel, 2017). A number of studies have investigated attitudes toward PCE (Babcock and Byrne, 2000; Franke et al, 2012a,b; Partridge et al, 2012; Bell et al, 2013; Sattler et al, 2013; Vrecko, 2013; Singh et al, 2014; Maier et al, 2015; Ram et al, 2017; Vagwala et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moral Attitudes Toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE): Differences and Similarities Among Germans With and Without PCE Experience

2018

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Pharmacological cognitive enhancement (PCE), the use of illicit and/or prescription drugs to increase cognitive performance, has spurred controversial discussion in bioethics. In a semi-structured interview study with 60 German university students and employees, differences and similarities in moral attitudes toward PCE among 30 experienced participants (EPs) vs. 30 inexperienced participants (IPs) were investigated. Substances EPs used most often are methylphenidate, amphetamines, tetrahydrocannabinol and modafinil. Both EPs and IPs addressed topics such as autonomous decision making or issues related to fairness such as equality in test evaluation and distortion of competition. While most EPs and IPs were convinced that the decision of whether or not to use PCE is part of their individual freedom, their views varied considerably with regard to fairness. IPs considered issues related to fairness as much more critical than EPs. Thus, a person’s moral attitudes toward PCE may not only depend on moral common sense, but also on whether they have used illegal and/or prescription drugs for PCE before. This points to the importance of including the various relevant stakeholder perspectives in debates on the ethical and social implications of PCE.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moral Attitudes Toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE): Differences and Similarities Among Germans With and Without PCE Experience

2018

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“…More precisely, a meta-analysis from the US estimated that the misuse of CEs among university students was 17% [ 75 ]. Compared to the US, most British university students may be more cautious in using prescription drugs as CEs [ 49 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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“…The use of nootropics by the general public reflects the individuals' desire (or the pressure put on them) to improve their cognitive functions, even if they are healthy 19 , being encouraged by different reasons, such as stress associated with work or competitiveness in academic and scientific environments 19,20 . Despite that, several studies indicate that PCE is not the norm among university students 10,[21][22][23][24][25] . Moreover, students may be children and adolescents, who may be subject to various pressures to start PCE programs 19 .…”

Section: Social Context Of Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although university students may not be so concerned with the legal restrictions to use these substances 3,21,40,41 , the same may not be true for http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1983-80422021291449…”

Section: Coercion and Soft Peer Pressurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Melhoramento cognitivo farmacológico: futuro promissor? Ou futuro inevitável?

Oliveira

Nunes

2021

Rev. Bioét.

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Resumo Funções cognitivas são alvo frequente de curiosidade, estudo e reflexão, pois são estruturantes para o ser o humano tal como o conhecemos. Compreender os limites cognitivos, os processos que os originam e a forma de os ultrapassar é, por isso, forma de entender a condição humana e de perceber as consequências da potencial manipulação da cognição. Nos últimos anos tem havido interesse crescente no melhoramento cognitivo mediante o uso de fármacos, e com ele têm surgido diversos e importantes dilemas éticos, médicos e legais. O objetivo deste ensaio é refletir sobre os problemas éticos levantados. Pode-se concluir que o melhoramento cognitivo farmacológico tem de ser mais bem estudado no nível farmacodinâmico para que sua aplicação – regulada e em contextos específicos – possa beneficiar indivíduos e sociedade, não pondo em causa a autenticidade da condição humana.

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Towards a Moral Ecology of Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement in British Universities

Cited by 7 publications

References 44 publications

Moral Attitudes Toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE): Differences and Similarities Among Germans With and Without PCE Experience

Moral Attitudes Toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE): Differences and Similarities Among Germans With and Without PCE Experience

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

Melhoramento cognitivo farmacológico: futuro promissor? Ou futuro inevitável?

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