Lecture+07+nootropic+drugs

Nicotine II Lecture 07

Cognitive Enhancement

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• Title: Nicotine II

• Lecture: 07

• Topic: Cognitive enhancement

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• Agenda:

  • Discussion Question

  • What is Cognitive enhancement?

  • Therapeutic drugs for cognitive enhancement

  • Cognitive enhancement in a neurotypical population

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• Discussion Question:

  • Posted on Canvas.

  • Due date: 02/27

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• Discussion Question Details:

  • Discuss nootropics—drugs that boost cognitive performance.

  • Provide an argument for or against their use in a neurotypical population, based on scientific findings, effects, and side effects.

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• Response Requirements:

  • Minimum six sentences.

  • Maximum of three paragraphs.

  • Original writing only; no AI-generated content.

  • Choose one nootropic as an example for the argument.

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• Stance Requirements Based on Last Name:

  • A-L: Argue against cognitive-enhancing drugs.

  • M-Z: Argue for the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs.

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• Definition of Cognitive Enhancement:

  • Intervention that boosts cognitive processes (learning, memory, attention).

  • Can be behavioral or pharmacological.

  • Used to treat disorders like ADHD and dementia (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease).

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• Therapeutic Cognitive Enhancers:

  • ADHD:

    • Psychostimulants:

      • Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

      • Amphetamine (Adderall)

      • Modafinil

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• Neurodegenerative Diseases:

  • Alzheimer's disease

  • Parkinson's disease

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• Alzheimer's Disease Characteristics:

  • Associated with dementia and memory loss.

  • Progressive condition.

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• Neurological Changes in Alzheimer's Disease:

  • Brain atrophy in:

    • Hippocampus

    • Basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei

  • Key areas:

    • Hippocampus, Thalamus, Basal Forebrain Cholinergic System, etc.

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• Drug Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease:

  • Symptom treatment available.

  • Does not slow disease progression.

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• Acetylcholine and Symptom Treatment:

  • Role of acetylcholine in cognitive function.

  • Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors: interact with presynaptic terminals, enhancing acetylcholine availability.

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• Examples of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors:

  • Donepezil

  • Rivastigmine

  • Galantamine

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• Cognitive Benefits of AchE Inhibitors:

  • Restoration of reasoning and cognitive ability in Alzheimer's patients.

  • Benefits can last up to 4 years.

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• Side Effects of Cognitive Enhancers:

  • Similar to nicotine effects:

    • Muscle cramps

    • Nausea/vomiting

    • Gastrointestinal distress

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• NMDA Receptor Antagonists:

  • Role of glutamate in Alzheimer's:

    • Increased extracellular glutamate chronically activates NMDA receptors, impairing cognitive function.

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• Memantine:

  • A non-competitive NMDA antagonist.

  • Improves cognitive function in individuals with moderate to severe Alzheimer's.

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• Overview of Cognitive Enhancers:

  • For ADHD: Psychostimulants (Ritalin, Adderall).

  • For Dementia: Cholinergic drugs and Glutamate drugs (e.g., Memantine).

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• Cognitive Enhancement in Neurotypicals:

  • 8-10% of college students use cognitive-enhancing "study drugs."

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• Article Reference in Nature:

  • Towards responsible use of cognitive-enhancing drugs by the healthy.

  • Focus on societal responses to the demand for enhancement.

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• Contemplation for Healthy Individuals:

  • Should healthy people utilize cognitive-enhancing drugs?

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• Ethical and Scientific Questions:

  • Ethical considerations: fairness and comparison to steroids in sports.

  • Scientific validity: effectiveness of cognitive enhancers.

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• Evaluating Nootropic Effects:

  • Aspects of cognition enhanced by nootropics.

  • Variability in effects across individuals.

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• Cognitive Processes Affected by Psychostimulants:

  • Working memory

  • Episodic & Semantic memory

  • Inhibitory control

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• Visuospatial Working Memory Enhancement:

  • Experiment showcasing enhancement of phonological working memory and visuospatial working memory.

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• Detailed Cognitive Processes:

  • Affected areas include short-term and long-term memory, as well as inhibitory control.

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• Enhancement of Short-term Episodic Memory:

  • Training phase: covers short-term to long-term.

  • Test phases evaluate retention and recall.

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• Methylphenidate Effects on Cognition:

  • Explores effects on working memory and episodic memory, both short and long-term.

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• Long-term Memory Study:

  • Emphasizes encoding, storage/consolidation, and retrieval phases, particularly focusing on the hippocampus.

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• Hippocampal and Cortical Contributions to Long-term Memory:

  • Differentiation of roles between the hippocampus and cortex.

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• State Dependent Learning:

  • Relationship between drug states and memory encoding/recall—influence of drugs as context cues.

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• Cognitive Enhancements from Methylphenidate:

  • Identifies enhancements in specific cognitive areas such as working memory and episodic memory.

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• Further Examination of Methylphenidate Effects:

  • Concentrates again on working and episodic memory improvements, emphasizing variations in duration and retention.

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• Distinction Between Arousal and Enhancement:

  • Drugs enhance performance by increasing arousal, motivation, and effort but do not necessarily increase intelligence.

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• Cognition Enhancement Aspects:

  • Working memory and short-term episodic memory enhancement highlighted.

  • Variability of effects noted.

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• Understanding Dose-Response Curves:

  • Describes relationship between drug dose and extent of cognitive effects.

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• Inverted U Curve - Yerkes-Dodson Law:

  • Illustrates performance in relation to arousal levels—optimal vs. high and low arousal states.

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• Inverted U Curve with Methylphenidate Effects:

  • Abstraction showing how methylphenidate affects performance across varied arousal levels.

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• Reaffirmation of Dose-Response with Methylphenidate:

  • Similar indications as previous curve regarding performance metrics across arousal spectrums.

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• Consistency of Inverted U Curve Representation:

  • Maintains the performance-based assessments relating to optimum arousal through various scenarios.

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• Cognition and Variability Outcomes:

  • Revisitation of aspects enhancing cognition and reassertion of strong variability in effects.

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• Arguments Against Use in General Population:

  • Limited and narrow cognitive benefits

  • Potential impairment of cognitive processes

  • Reduced long-term effectiveness

  • Promotion of a pill culture

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• Arguments For Use in General Population:

  • Can provide modest enhancements

  • Possible benefits for undiagnosed individuals

  • Relatively low side effects if used properly

  • Comparison to common cognitive enhancers like caffeine

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• Next Topics for Discussion:

  • Focus on Nicotine and Alcohol in upcoming lectures.