RESULTS Modafinil appears to improve reaction time ( P ≤ 0.04 ) , logical reasoning ( P ≤ 0.05 ) and problem-solving .
Across all three types of prescription stimulants , research shows improved attention with lack of consensus on whether these improvements are limited to simple versus complex tasks in varying youth population s. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity of the non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth population , the variation in cognitive task characteristics and lack of replication of studies makes assessing the potential global neurocognitive benefits of stimulants among non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth difficult ; however , some youth may derive benefit in specific cognitive domains
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Increasing prescription stimulant abuse among youth without diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is of concern .
The most frequently cited motive for abuse is improved academic achievement via neurocognitive enhancement .
Our aim in review ing the literature was to identify neurocognitive effects of prescription stimulants in non-ADHD youth .
Objective and subjective cognitive enhancing effects of mixed amphetamine salts in healthy people
Psychostimulants such as mixed amphetamine salts ( MAS , br and name Adderall ) are widely used for cognitive enhancement by healthy young people , yet laboratory research on effectiveness has yielded variable results . The present study assessed the effects of MAS in healthy young adults with an adequately powered double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled trial . We examined effects in 13 measures of cognitive ability including episodic memory , working memory , inhibitory control , convergent creativity , intelligence and scholastic achievement  , with the goals of determining ( 1 ) whether the drug is at least moderately enhancing ( Cohen 's d > = .5 ) to some or all cognitive abilities tested , ( 2 ) whether its effects on cognition are moderated by baseline ability or COMT genotype , and ( 3 ) whether it induces an illusory perception of cognitive enhancement . The results did not reveal enhancement of any cognitive abilities by MAS for participants in general . There was a suggestion of moderation of enhancement by baseline ability and COMT genotype in a minority of tasks , with MAS enhancing lower ability participants on word recall , embedded figures and Raven 's Progressive Matrices . Despite the lack of enhancement observed for most measures and most participants , participants nevertheless believed their performance was more enhanced by the active capsule than by placebo . We conclude that MAS has no more than small effects on cognition in healthy young adults , although users may perceive the drug as enhancing their cognition . This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ' Cognitive Enhancers '
RESULTS Modafinil appears to improve reaction time ( P ≤ 0.04 ) , logical reasoning ( P ≤ 0.05 ) and problem-solving .
Across all three types of prescription stimulants , research shows improved attention with lack of consensus on whether these improvements are limited to simple versus complex tasks in varying youth population s. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity of the non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth population , the variation in cognitive task characteristics and lack of replication of studies makes assessing the potential global neurocognitive benefits of stimulants among non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth difficult ; however , some youth may derive benefit in specific cognitive domains
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Increasing prescription stimulant abuse among youth without diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is of concern .
The most frequently cited motive for abuse is improved academic achievement via neurocognitive enhancement .
Our aim in review ing the literature was to identify neurocognitive effects of prescription stimulants in non-ADHD youth .