Smart Drugs in Cognitive Disorders

Introduction

Every individual aspires to be smarter, learn more in less time, think and act more quickly, and command a great memory. Generally, cognitive performance can be improved with positive lifestyle changes including sufficient and good-quality sleep, stress reduction, meditation, etc. Besides, these, several substances in our traditional systems of medicine have been utilized since times immemorial to boost brain performance, enhance concentration and cognition and to ameliorate mental alertness. “Smart drugs”, also termed as “nootropics” (Giurgea & Salama, 1977), refer to this class of medications. These “cognitive enhancers” are the drugs or supplements that enhance cognitive performance. Smart drugs exhibit their actions by enhancing specific mental functions like memory, creativeness, awareness, consciousness and attention. In recent times, several researchers are working in the area of developing new potential smart drugs from synthetic as well as natural sources. Cognition means the capacity of processing existing information and applying knowledge to solve problems. This virtually involves all brain processes including memory, attention, language, executive functions, perception, and psychomotor functions. Cognition-enhancing drugs have the ability to increase intelligence and memory, and hence, these have a great impact on the health of individuals. These have applications for enhancement of cognitive performance of brain areas, particularly, in the event of some injury or degeneration. Majority of these medications require several doses to be administered before any discernible improvement is noted in the subject. Very few amongst these can work at the outset, after a single delivery. These are generally well tolerated and are utilized as supportive therapies for individuals with CNS disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, hyperkinetic disorder, and senile dementia. Further, these have applications for use in acute, sub-acute, and chronic states of memory, consciousness, and learning difficulties. Besides improving the mental health of individuals, smart drugs are also intended to enhance academic or professional performance, and this way, these command a sizeable market in the current competitive scenario. There are several smart drugs that are commercially available, however, the drugs with acute and long-term effects in children and adolescents whose brains are under development are still elusive. People frequently encounter obstacles in resource-constrained areas, including financial limitations, a lack of understanding, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure, which together prevent their access to smart pharmaceuticals. These differences highlight the requirement for focused actions to provide equal access to cognitive enhancers and stop the escalation of already-existing socioeconomic inequities. A thorough methodology is required to implement a smart drug program in resource-constrained places. This entails developing cost-effective formulations, educating the public, integrating services into the current healthcare system, creating ethical standards, investigating local choices, working with organizations, and continual monitoring. This comprehensive approach attempts to improve the availability, cost, and appropriate use of cognitive-enhancing drugs in various areas.

The aim of this chapter is to investigate the idea of smart drugs, their mechanisms of action, possible benefits in increasing cognitive abilities, and the ethical concerns associated with their use. This chapter seeks to offer an in-depth understanding of smart drugs and their effects by exploring the scientific, ethical, and sociological aspects. In this chapter, we have explored the intricate mechanisms of action of various nootropics, encompassing the dopaminergic, cholinergic, glutamatergic, and serotonergic pathways. This comprehensive analysis offers profound insights into the realm of cognitive enhancement and their potential applications..

This chapter is important because it gives readers knowledge about the workings and possible advantages of smart drugs. It increases moral consciousness regarding cognitive enhancement and its effects on people and society. The chapter supports educated decision-making on the use of smart medicines for cognitive improvement.