Abstract
To determine the effects of cognition improvement strategies on academic performance, stress and sleep quality of medical students. The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from March 2019 to March 2020, and comprised medical students regardless of gender and academic year. Academic performance was assessed through grade point average, while stress and sleep were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data was analysed using SPSS 25. Of the 770 subjects, 748(97%) formed the final sample with mean age 20.32±1.49 years; 619(82.7%) females and 129(17.2%) males. Overall, there were 655(87.6%) consumers of cognitive enhancers and 93(12.4%) non-cunsumers. The mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score of consumers was 6.05±3.306, while that of non-consumers was 5.80±3.701. The respective mean Perceived Stress Scale scores were 21.18±6.09 and 20.5±6.8. There was no significant association of consumption of cognitive enhancers with academic performance and stress levels (p>0.05), but it was significant with sleep quality (p<0.05). Majority of the students were found to be consuming cognitive enhancers, but no significant association of the stimulants was found with either academic performance or stress.
Highlights
Cognitive enhancement encompasses all the interventions, either synthetic or natural, that are used for the purpose of boosting alertness, and increasing memory and concentration. [1] Cognitive enhancers are said to be any of the drugs used in order to obtain higher levels of alertness and for prolonging this state of alertness and focus.As per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) [2], caffeine, one of the commonly used cognitive stimulants, can cause physical, mental and psychomotor impairments upon its withdrawal
A study revealed that at low doses, caffeine promotes wakefulness, confidence and vigour, while at high doses an individual portrays the characteristics of an addict, like having increased sense of power, which may lead to a euphoretic state. [10]
There was no significant difference in stress levels between the consumers and non-consumers (p=0.50)
Summary
Cognitive enhancement encompasses all the interventions, either synthetic or natural, that are used for the purpose of boosting alertness, and increasing memory and concentration. [1] Cognitive enhancers are said to be any of the drugs used in order to obtain higher levels of alertness and for prolonging this state of alertness and focus.As per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) [2], caffeine, one of the commonly used cognitive stimulants, can cause physical, mental and psychomotor impairments upon its withdrawal. The use of certain smart drugs commonly prescribed, like methylphenidate and modafinil [3], narcotics, like cocaine and amphetamine, and soft enhancers, like phyto drugs, soft drinks, vitamins, tonics [4], tobacco [1], coffee and caffeine pills, is practised for cognitive enhancement. [5] Caffeine and nicotine, two major substances, are the most common psychostimulant drugs used worldwide. [6] A recent study in a public-sector medical university found that caffeine was consumed by 95% students. [7] Some studies demonstrated that smoking was the preferred method of nicotine use for (78.9%) [8] and 26.3% [9]) students. A study revealed that at low doses, caffeine promotes wakefulness, confidence and vigour, while at high doses an individual portrays the characteristics of an addict, like having increased sense of power, which may lead to a euphoretic state. A study revealed that at low doses, caffeine promotes wakefulness, confidence and vigour, while at high doses an individual portrays the characteristics of an addict, like having increased sense of power, which may lead to a euphoretic state. [10]
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