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[Professor’s Name]
Sanya Kanwal Israr
[Course Title]
05 August 2010
Nootropics
Since centuries, human are trying for ways to improve their memory potential as well as
to enhance their physical health. Therefore, they have discovered thousands of methods to
enhance memorization, improve cognitive system and to fight against aging. However, in this
latest era, science has come up with easy ways to improve one’s brain mechanism and slow
down aging. Nootropics drugs also known as “smart drugs” are nutrient that can enhance brain
functionality without causing any sort of side effects in the nervous system. In specific, the term
nootropics was introduces to describe a group of drugs that have the ability to improve certain
brain mechanisms postulated to be associated with mental performance (Stahl, pp. 491). In
simple words, nootropics are medicines that can be use as “memory enhancers” by people of all
age group.
The basic function of nootropics drugs that make them different from common brain
enhancer drugs is that they directly affect the brain Corpus Callosum that joins the two
hemispheres and carry messages to the brain cells. In addition, these drugs minimize the causes
that could damage brain cells due to aging and slow down natural deterioration process.
However, there was a controversy raised that whether the nootropics improve the cognitive
system, or are profited? Research has shown that nootropics are generic compounds that
enhance cognition functionality to its fullest. The term ‘nootropics was originally coined to
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chemical compounds that were reported to enhance cognitive function, including learning and
memory, without possessing other significant effect (Dudai, pp.176). The above stated statement
proves that these smart drugs improve the memory and enhance resistance of the cognitive
system against any sort of damage. However, many authors still believe that there should be
natural means for enhancing cognition rather than giving artificial drugs as the mechanism of
action of nootropics is still unknown. Others believe these compounds causes beneficial side
effects of the cognition process and improves the neurotransmitters level that usually declines as
the brain ages. These arguments do not show any reason why ‘nootropics’ cannot be used as a
compound to improve cognition process.
Nootropics chemicals include piracetam and vincamine. Piracetam is a drug that
increases the IQ level, help in having long-term memory and declines aging process. On the
other hand, vincamine purpose is to improve concentration, attention and makes the mind to
respond quickly. In general, nootropics are compounds that act in the central nervous system,
enhancing the cognitive performance by improving memory, perception, attention, judgment and
orientation (Blank, pp. 119). The basic advantages of these drugs is that it boost up the brains
hormones and enzymes and that results in faster mental processing and also these drugs improves
the nervous system and increase the availability of oxygen in the brain cells. This results in
excellent alertness, thus making an individual more quick.
Both young and old can use Nootropics so that they can get a chance to improve their
brainpower. However, the outcomes of these drugs may slightly vary from person to person. As
the person ages, the ability of mind responding to certain task may slow down, therefore, in this
case these drugs might not be as effective as in the case for young ones. These medicines have
certain nutrients that have the vitals of lacking enzymes of brain, and thus they can bring back
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the same thinking capacity to old people. There might be some trouble with nootropics as in
some cases these drugs might affect the healthy mind. In addition, the chances of diseases like
Alzheimer and Parkinson’s can increase. One of the major side effects that can occur is that
nootropics if used in large quantity can change the natural level of neurotransmitters, hormones,
or enzymes of the brain.
A survey conducted by Nature (International weekly journal of science) have shown that
on average 7% to 25% of U.S. college students have made use of nootropics to boost their career
levels. Thus, these drugs are becoming widespread among students in order to enhance their
brain functionality. Even today, many professors are using them to increase their concentration
in some research.
Finally, to conclude, nootropics taken after taking advice from a renowned neurologist
and must be taken in little quantity so that it may not affect the natural thinking and cognition
process. The need of improving cognitive system will increase in the coming years and that
would make people to use more mind-altering substances. The best substance that is available up
until now is – nootropics.
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Works Cited
Stahl, S.M. Essential psychopharmacology. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Dudai, Yadin. Memory from A to Z. Oxford University Press, 2004.
Blank, Robert H. Brain Policy. Georgetown University Press, 1999.
