Ethical Underpinning and Implications of “Nootropic” Concept

Autor

  • Pranab Rudra Ulm University, Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-6107.32.03

Słowa kluczowe:

Nootropic drugs, nootropic concept, neurocognitive enhancement, ethics

Abstrakt

The current generation paving the path for new research marks a milestone to attain the ancient goal of improving our cognition. To date, increased prevalence of cognitive enhancers by healthy people has raised the scientific community’s attention as well as media coverage. In particular, nootropics such as piracetam promise to offer modest improvements in cognitive performance. The long-lasting impetus of this “holistic enhancer” convinced scientists as well as ethicists to discuss its potential ethical implications and future directions. Moreover, there are discrepancies in the concept of a true nootropic between pharmacology and contemporary public culture. Here, I review the ethical aspects of nootropics raised by its potential use in cognition enhancement and substantiate the epistemological commentary on the concept of nootropic.

Bibliografia

Arnsten, Amy F. T., and Anne G. Dudley. “Methylphenidate Improves Prefrontal Cortical Cognitive Function Through Α2 Adrenoceptor and Dopamine D1 Receptor Actions: Relevance to Therapeutic Effects in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” Behavioral and Brain Functions 1, no. 1 (2005): 2. doi:10.1186/1744-9081-1-2.
Google Scholar

Babcock, Quinton, and Tom Byrne. “Student Perceptions of Methylphenidate Abuse at a Public Liberal Arts College.” Journal of American College Health 49, no. 3 (2000): 143–145. doi:10.1080/07448480009596296.
Google Scholar

Beauchamp, Tom L., and James F. Childress. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. 6th ed. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Google Scholar

Bostrom, Nick, and Anders Sandberg. “Cognitive Enhancement: Methods, Ethics, Regulatory Challenges.” Science and Engineering Ethics 15, no. 3 (2009): 311–341. doi:10.1007/s11948-009-9142-5.
Google Scholar

Butcher, James. “Cognitive Enhancement Raises Ethical Concerns.” The Lancet 362, no. 9378 (2003): 132–133. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(03)13897-4.
Google Scholar

Cakic, Vince. “Smart Drugs for Cognitive Enhancement: Ethical and Pragmatic Considerations in the Era of Cosmetic Neurology.” Journal of Medical Ethics 35, no. 10 (2009): 611–615. doi:10.1136/jme.2009.030882.
Google Scholar

Chatterjee, Anjan. “Cosmetic Neurology: The Controversy over Enhancing Movement, Mentation, and Mood.” Neurology 63, no. 6 (2004): 968–974. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000138438.88589.7c.
Google Scholar

Chatterjee, Anjan. “The Promise and Predicament of Cosmetic Neurology.” Journal of Medical Ethics 32, no. 2 (2006): 110–113. doi:10.1136/jme.2005.013599.
Google Scholar

Chatterjee, Anjan. “Is It Acceptable for People to Take Methylphenidate to Enhance Performance? No.” BMJ 338, no. 182 (2009): b1956. doi:10.1136/bmj.b1956.
Google Scholar

De Smedt, Tim, Robrecht Raedt, Kristl Vonck, and Paul Boon. “Levetiracetam: Part II, The Clinical Profile of a Novel Anticonvulsant Drug.” CNS Drug Reviews 13, no. 1 (2007): 57–78. doi:10.1111/j.1527-3458.2007.00005.x.
Google Scholar

Decety, Jean, and Julian Paul Keenan. “Social Neuroscience: A New Journal.” Social Neuroscience 1, no. 1 (2006): 1–4. doi:10.1080/17470910600683549.
Google Scholar

Dimond, Stuart J., and E. Y. M. Brouwers. “Increase in the Power of Human Memory in Normal Man Through the Use of Drugs.” Psychopharmacology 49, no. 3 (1976): 307–309. doi:10.1007/bf00426834.
Google Scholar

“Distributive Justice”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Fall 2008 Edition. Stanford.Library.Sydney.Edu.Au, 1996. https://stanford.library.sydney.edu.au/archives/fall2008/entries/justice-distributive/
Google Scholar

Farah, Martha J. “Emerging Ethical Issues in Neuroscience.” Nature Neuroscience 5, no. 11 (2002): 1123–1129. doi:10.1038/nn1102-1123.
Google Scholar

Farah, Martha J., Judy Illes, Robert Cook-Deegan, Howard Gardner, Eric Kandel, Patricia King, Eric Parens, Barbara Sahakian, and Paul Root Wolpe. “Neurocognitive Enhancement: What Can We Do and What Should We Do?” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 5, no. 5 (2004): 421–425. doi:10.1038/nrn1390.
Google Scholar

French, Jacqueline A., Chiara Costantini, A. Brodsky, and Phillipp von Rosenstiel. “Adjunctive Brivaracetam for Refractory Partial-Onset Seizures: a Randomized, Controlled Trial.” Neurology 75, no. 6 (2010): 519–525. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181ec7f7f.
Google Scholar

Fukuyama, Francis. Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution. 1st ed. Reprint, New York: Picador, 2003.
Google Scholar

Giurgea, Corneliu, and Maurice Salama. “Nootropic Drugs.” Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology 1, no. 3–4 (1977): 235–247. doi:10.1016/0364-7722(77)90046-7.
Google Scholar

Greely, Henry, Barbara Sahakian, John Harris, Ronald C. Kessler, Michael Gazzaniga, Philip Campbell, and Martha J. Farah. “Towards Responsible Use of Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs by the Healthy.” Nature 456, no. 7223 (2008): 702–705. doi:10.1038/456702a.
Google Scholar

Greene, Joshua D. “An Fmri Investigation of Emotional Engagement in Moral Judgment.” Science 293, no. 5537 (2001): 2105–2108. doi:10.1126/science.1062872.
Google Scholar

Greene, Joshua D. “Dual-Process Morality and the Personal/Impersonal Distinction: A Reply to Mcguire, Langdon, Coltheart, And Mackenzie.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 45, no. 3 (2009): 581–584. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2009.01.003.
Google Scholar

Gouliaev, Alex Haahr, and Alexander Senning. “Piracetam and Other Structurally Related Nootropics.” Brain Research Reviews 19, no. 2 (1994): 180–222. doi:10.1016/0165-0173(94)90011-6.
Google Scholar

Harris, John. “Is It Acceptable for People to Take Methylphenidate to Enhance Performance? Yes.” BMJ 338, no. 182 (2009): b1955. doi:10.1136/bmj.b1955.
Google Scholar

ImmInst Forums Reply. Subject: “New Energy Drink Contains Piracetam – Brain Health,” Longecity, 2008. http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/22668-new-energy-drink-containspiracetam/
Google Scholar

Kayser, Bengt, Alexandre Mauron, and Andy Miah. “Current Anti-Doping Policy: A Critical Appraisal.” BMC Medical Ethics 8, no. 1 (2007). doi:10.1186/1472-6939-8-2.
Google Scholar

Le Strange, Richard. A History of Herbal Plants. Reprint, London: Angus & Robertson Publ., 1977.
Google Scholar

Margineanu, Doru Georg. “A Weird Concept with Unusual Fate: Nootropic Drug,” Revue des Questions Scientifiques. Vol. 182 (1) (2011): 33– 52.
Google Scholar

McCabe, Sean Esteban, John R. Knight, Christian J. Teter, and Henry Wechsler. “Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Stimulants Among US College Students: Prevalence and Correlates From a National Survey.” Addiction 100, no. 1 (2005): 96–106. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.00944.x
Google Scholar

Pinker, Steven. The Blank Slate. New York: Viking, 2002.
Google Scholar

Racine, Eric, and Cynthia Forlini. “Cognitive Enhancement, Lifestyle Choice or Misuse of Prescription Drugs?”. Neuroethics 3, no. 1 (2008): 1–4. doi:10.1007/s12152-008-9023-7.
Google Scholar

Stirling, Andrew. “The Politics of GM Food: Risk, Science and Public Trust,” 1999. http://users.sussex.ac.uk/~prfh0/adams_et_al_briefing_on_uncertainty.pdf
Google Scholar

Swierstra, Tsjalling, and Arie Rip. “Nano-Ethics as NEST-Ethics: Patterns of Moral Argumentation about New and Emerging Science and Technology.” Nanoethics 1, no. 1 (2007): 3–20. doi:10.1007/s11569-007-0005-8
Google Scholar

Synofzik, Matthis. “Ethically Justified, Clinically Applicable Criteria for Physician Decision-Making In Psychopharmacological Enhancement.” Neuroethics 2, no. 2 (2009): 89–102. doi:10.1007/s12152-008-9029-1
Google Scholar

Turner, Danielle C., Trevor W. Robbins, Luke Clark, Adam R. Aron, Jonathan Dowson, and Barbara J. Sahakian. “Cognitive Enhancing Effects of Modafinil in Healthy Volunteers.” Psychopharmacology 165, no. 3 (2003): 260–269. doi:10.1007/s00213-002-1250-8.
Google Scholar

Ursin, Lars Øystein. “Personal Autonomy and Informed Consent.” Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 12, no. 1 (2008): 17–24. doi:10.1007/s11019-008-9144-0.
Google Scholar

Wei, Feng, Guo-Du Wang, Geoffrey A. Kerchner, Susan J. Kim, Hai-Ming Xu, Zhou-Feng Chen, and Min Zhuo. “Genetic Enhancement of Inflammatory Pain by Forebrain NR2B Overexpression.” Nature Neuroscience 4, no. 2 (2001): 164–169. doi:10.1038/83993.
Google Scholar

Winblad, Bengt. “Piracetam: A Review of Pharmacological Properties and Clinical Uses.” CNS Drug Reviews 11, no. 2 (2006): 169–182. doi:10.1111/j.1527-3458.2005.tb00268.x
Google Scholar

Wolpe, Paul Root. “Treatment, Enhancement, and the Ethics Of Neurotherapeutics.” Brain and Cognition 50, no. 3 (2002): 387–395. doi:10.1016/s0278-2626(02)00534-1
Google Scholar

Opublikowane

2018-12-30

Jak cytować

Rudra, P. (2018). Ethical Underpinning and Implications of “Nootropic” Concept. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Philosophica. Ethica-Aesthetica-Practica, (32), 31–45. https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-6107.32.03