Abstract
The use of pharmaceutical neuroenhancers to improve cognitive function poses unique neurobiological concerns as stimulants are being widely prescribed to adolescents and young adults with increasing prevalence. In the following commentary on the papers by Hoffman et al [1] and Cheung and Pierre [2] in the special issue on Neuroenhancers, we discuss the need to consider the effects of stimulant use in healthy adolescents. We review some of the data that has emerged on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of adolescent neuroenhancement, and conclude that special consideration should be taken to characterize the consequences of neuroenhancement use in the developing brain. Studies focused specifically on adolescent vulnerabilities to neuroenhancement are necessary because the brain undergoes dynamics changes that are unique to this period of development, which differentiates it from the healthy adult response to neuroenhancer exposure. Moving forward, scientists and physicians should take careful consideration to examine the long-term neurological consequences of neuroenhancers so that the therapeutic benefits that might be gained from neuroenhancement are not shadowed by negative consequences to public health in the future.
Highlights
The often-heard assertion that the human brain operates at only 10 percent of its full capacity has been well established as myth [3], but it bears a sentiment that is echoed in the recent emergence of neuroenhancement
Cheung and Pierre [2] explore the medical ethics associated with the use of prescription drugs for the purpose of neuroenhancement, and present a case study of nonmedical attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication use in order to investigate the ethical considerations of dispensing cognitive neuroenhancers to patients in the absence of a diagnosed illness
It has been reported that prescriptions for ADHD medications among adolescents are on the rise [14,15] and the nonmedical prescription stimulant use by adolescents and college students has become a significant public health concern [14,16,17,18,19]
Summary
The often-heard assertion that the human brain operates at only 10 percent of its full capacity has been well established as myth [3], but it bears a sentiment that is echoed in the recent emergence of neuroenhancement. Hoffman et al [1] review the potential efficacy of cognitive enhancers as supplements to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients with diagnosed anxiety disorders. There is certainly data that does suggest that pharmaceutical stimulants have the capability to enhance cognition in healthy patients (Reviewed in [7]), so it seems quite possible that neuroenhancing adjuvants in CBT represent a new avenue of patient treatment. Cheung and Pierre [2] conclude that there does not exist a strong argument for prescribing neuroenhancers to healthy patients. Both articles emphasize what is both enticing and concerning about neuroenhancement, and demonstrate that greater attention to the biological and social implications of neuroenhancement is warranted. We hope to highlight issues that we believe are important to consider moving forward in the realm of neuroenhancement
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