The Risks of Using 'Smart' Drugs for Cognitive Enhancement
Prescription stimulants used as cognitive enhancers by people without ADHD reduced performance in complex everyday activities, according to a small double-blind randomized trial. The study tested 40 people without ADHD on the knapsack optimization problem, a task involving a virtual knapsack with a set capacity. Participants selected items of varying weights and values to maximize the value of the knapsack's contents. The test is designed to model complex decision-making and problem-solving in everyday life. When participants used cognitive enhancers, their effort increased compared with placebo, but productivity decreased.
