Archive for June, 2009

Mind-enhancing drugs: A no-brainer?

Advocates say they are an irresistible way of improving students’ performance. Critics argue they are a dangerous fad. Jeremy Laurance explores the debate.
In the middle of the exam season, the offer of a drug that could improve results might excite students but would be likely to terrify their parents.
Now, a distinguished professor of bioethics says [...]

Johann Hari: They were great at first – but then the creativity dries up

Last year, I had my own brief experiment with smart drugs. I felt burned out after a series of long foreign assignments, and my brain was rustily chug-chugging along at half-speed. That’s when I first read about a drug being billed as “Viagra for the brain” – not Ritalin, but Provigil, a brand name for [...]