Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34909030›Full record

ArticleClinical neuropsychiatry2021

Neuroenhancement: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Donatella Marazziti, Maria Teresa Avella, Tea Ivaldi, Stefania Palermo, Lucia Massa, Alessandra Della Vecchia, Lucia Basile, Federico Mucci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical neuropsychiatry, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Donatella MarazzitiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Maria Teresa AvellaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Tea IvaldiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Stefania PalermoDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Lucia MassaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Alessandra Della VecchiaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Lucia BasileDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
Federico MucciDepartment of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pharmacological neuroenhancement refers to the non-medical use of prescription drugs, alcohol, illegal drugs, or the so-called soft enhancers for the purpose of improving cognition, mood, pro-social behavior, or work and academic performance. This phenomenon is undoubtedly more frequent than previously supposed especially amongst university students. The aim of the present paper was to carefully review and comment on the available literature on neuroenhancement, according to Prisma guidelines. The results showed a great use of all prescribed drugs (benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, nootropic compounds, and especially stimulants) as neuroenhancers amongst healthy subjects, although probably the real prevalence is underestimated. The use of illicit drugs and soft enhancers is similarly quite common. Data on the improvement of cognition by other compounds, such as oxytocin and pheromones, or non-pharmacological techniques, specifically deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, are still limited. In any case, if it is true that human beings are embedded by the desire to overcome the limits of their intrinsic nature, neuroenhancement practices put into question the concept of authenticity. Therefore, the problem appears quite complex and requires to be deepened and analyzed with no prejudice, although within an ethical conceptual frame.

Indexed as

drugsneuroenhancementuniversity students

Identifiers

PMID34909030
PMCPMC8629054

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.