USO DE POTENCIADORES COGNITIVOS EN ESTUDIANTES DE PREGRADO DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE ESPECIALIDADES ESPÍRITU SANTO (UEES

Abstract

A cognitive enhancer is a substance that ingested in low doses, increases cognitive functions such as: attention, concentration, memory, reasoning, etc. The overall objective of this study is to demostrate the use of cognition enhancers in a sample group of undergraduate students of the UEES (Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo). These are classified in: 1) over the counter or substances that can be easily purchased in supermarkets without the need of medical prescription; 2) prescription drugs; 3) illicit drugs, especially psychostimulants such as Methamphetamines, ecstasy, and others; this study was restricted to analyze the first two groups. This research is exploratory and has a quantitative descriptive approach. From a sample of 77 students aged 18 years to 25 years or more; 58% women and 42% men, it was concluded that caffeine was the most consumed cognitive enhancer with 88%, followed by modafinil with 19%. The use of cognitive enhancers is increasingly common in college students, who usually begin by ingesting larger amounts of caffeine and then, failing to achieve the desired effects, use another substance that they consider to be more effective