Cognitive Boost for Alertness -
Rigorous analysis finds that the drug modafinil significantly enhances cognition during complex tasks. By Melinda Wenner Moyer. What if you could pop a pill that made you smarter? Researchers have found that modafinil boosts higher-order cognitive function without causing serious side effects.
Modafinil, which has been prescribed in the U. since to treat sleep-related conditions such as narcolepsy and sleep apnea, heightens alertness much as caffeine does. A number of studies have suggested that it could provide other cognitive benefits, but results were uneven. To clear up the confusion, researchers then at the University of Oxford analyzed 24 studies published between and that specifically looked at how modafinil affects cognition.
In their review, which was published in in European Neuropsychopharmacology , they found that the methods used to evaluate modafinil strongly affected the outcomes. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing.
By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. student at the University of California, Berkeley.
Although many doctors very likely prescribe the drug off-label to help people concentrate—indeed, a study found that 22 percent of Americans had taken prescription brain-boosting drugs in the past year and that 4.
Nor is it known whether modafinil might lose its edge with repeated use, a phenomenon familiar to many coffee drinkers. Side effects are another important consideration. Modafinil has been shown to cause insomnia, headache and stomachache in select users, and some research suggests it could be addictive.
As is the case with all medications , cognition-enhancing drugs affect different people in various ways. Setting aside the ethical questions about brain boosters, here is a look at groups who may deserve special consideration.
CHILDREN AND TEENS: Cognition-enhancing drugs could present unique risks to the developing brain. PEOPLE WITH LOWER IQs: Research suggests that cognition-enhancing drugs offer the greatest performance boost among individuals with low-to-average intelligence.
SENIORS: Some studies suggest that older adults may not derive much benefit from cognition-enhancing drugs. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
In this Special Health Report, Harvard Medical School doctors share a six-step program that can yield important and lasting results. From simple and specific changes in eating to ways to challenge your brain, this is guidance that will pay dividends for you and your future.
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March 6, Just as there is no magic pill to prevent cognitive decline, no single almighty brain food can ensure a sharp brain as you age. Research shows that the best brain foods are the same ones that protect your heart and blood vessels, including the following: Green, leafy vegetables.
Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research suggests these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline. Fatty fish. Fatty fish are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid—the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
Try to eat fish at least twice a week, but choose varieties that are low in mercury, such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack.
If you're not a fan of fish, ask your doctor about taking an omega-3 supplement, or choose terrestrial omega-3 sources such as flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts. Flavonoids, the natural plant pigments that give berries their brilliant hues, also help improve memory, research shows.
A study done by researchers at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.
Tea and coffee.
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