I’m sure everyone has heard by now about the commentary that appeared in Nature on use of stimulants as cognitive enhancers. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to read the commentary myself until this weekend, when I curled up (at the lab, no rest for the grad student) with a cup of delicious coffee, some Moose Munch, and the latest issue of Nature. Unfortunately, this commentary has completely destroyed my peace of mind. The arguments laid out for the use of cognitive enhancers are persuasive, but there are also some interesting flaws.
I’m sure most people have thought about cognitive enhancement. All my life I have envied, to some extent, those who are more successful than I am. Somehow they can focus when I cannot, can study for much longer hours than I can, and consequently get better grades. Some can focus on training more than I can, can stick to nutritional advice, practice when they are supposed to. What if I could get myself a little pill that made me match them all?
Part of me (the part that is competitive and in grad school) says sign me up. The other part, the part of me that worries about the effects of drugs and the way the public reacts to statements like the one in Nature, says hold it, is this another “Listening to Prozac”?
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