Awake your brain

In this article we will look more serious drugs, "whipped up" the brain. Namely - nootropic drugs. The term "nootropics" comes from the Greek words "HOOC" - the mind and "tropos" - food. Neuroprotective drugs have a specific activating effect on the integrative functions of the brain, that is, they have a positive effect on learning, improve memory and mental performance. But most importantly, they "remove" brain fatigue, allowing for a long time to work "on a high" intelligence. They are also called "doping for the brain", and in English-speaking countries, the name of the common smart drugs ( «smart drugs / medication" - a word meaning drug and "drug" and "drug").

Initially - in the 70s - nootropic drugs developed for the treatment of senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder. It was only much later, in the early 90's, they started advertising as a means to improve efficiency - "Doping for workaholics." For example, what is said in the advertisement "Provigil" drug distributed in the United States: "Without the use of stimulants to maintain a high pace of life is impossible. The drug, allowing to stay awake for more than 40 hours, preserving the physical and mental strength, has no hangover effect, so he quickly gained fame medication, shearing time. "

Until recently, the former Soviet Union took nootropics mainly students during the session, or those to whom these drugs for any reason prescribed by doctors. We can say that only mid 2000s we have these drugs "tasted" businessmen, programmers, web designers and advertising specialists. That is, those knowledge workers who do not work eight hours a day five days a week, and on project basis. And, accordingly, who have to work regularly in the catch involving all hands.
I note that sometimes employers are wary of employees with a high capacity for work, which are held on the tablets. Many rulers in manufacturing rightly believe that taking stimulants constitute a safety hazard. The chiefs of the offices of fear that employees will demonstrate the performance after the burst, on the contrary, its sharp decline. But the fact remains: do these bosses are increasingly resorting to the help of nootropics, though rarely admit it.

But it is with us. According to doctors, 30% of adults in the United States, Europe and Japan are taking medications nootropic group. Here he writes about this newspaper Financial Times: «Provigil or Ritalin to help you work better, began to drink lawyers, bankers, and other serious people trying to gain an advantage over his colleagues. Theoretically, almost all of these funds are sold only by prescription. In practice, they can easily be bought on the Internet. "

In Russia and in Belarus, many nootropic drugs sold over the counter. Yet their performance is to increase the take not so many people to the problem discussed in public. The situation is different in the West - there is under active debate is not even about the extent nootropics injurious to health, and how to use them at all ethical to give an unfair advantage. In sports, doping is forbidden - if he is not to be denied and in the corporate or student a competitive environment?

Most doctors recognize: nootropics are not addictive as antidepressants, or (sometimes) caffeine or amphetamines, but have their own side effects. The first course is always very effective nootropics, but then their effect is reduced. If we continue to receive increasing dose, it becomes difficult to think there is confusion. As a result of prolonged use of developing insomnia, brain, accustomed to working around the clock "for 100%" can not shut down at night and go to sleep.

It should also be borne in mind that from the neuroprotective drugs is never instantaneous effect. The effect of many nootropics develops gradually and reaches a peak at one to two months. It is for this reason often they overdose occurs the students - they do not know about this feature and look forward to the "magic pill" that is, if you start receiving two or three days, you can quickly learn the course material just before the exam.
In the post-Soviet space and in Europe among the most popular nootropics Piracetam and its analogues. Most of them are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. Alternative names of drugs containing Piracetam - Nootropil, Lucet, Memotropil. I have ever talk with many people who use nootropics, and all of these well recognized Nootropil. But he is also the most expensive of the group.

A special place among other "smart pills" on the post-Soviet space takes Phenotropil. This drug is created in the 80s in the Soviet Union to improve the health of astronauts. Biochemists have developed it, however, called Phenotropil not nootropic and neuromodulator. Neuromodulation - a model of the effect in which a substance does not stimulate the neurons directly rather changes the rules, which are responsive to stimulation by other substances including natural for the body.

Phenylpiracetam buy features a fast and pronounced effect, and therefore very popular with students, as well as compensation for such breaches, as "the deterioration of the learning process" or the "lethargy, decreased psychomotor activity, impaired attention, memory impairment."
Other popular products we have - Aminalon and Phenibut. Their effect on the brain is based on the fact that they "imitate" neurotransmitters. So, Phenibut (aka - Noofen) in its chemical structure is similar to gamma-aminobutyric acid, one of the main neurotransmitters.
In the US and Canada are more common drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, modafinil. On the one hand, it is believed that they are an order of magnitude more effective than any means popular with us. Alternatively, for example, Adderall has the same chemical formula as amphetamine, only the dosage is calculated so as to improve the operability without causing notorious buzz.
From here, however, it raises an important question: is it possible to include nootropics drugs. While the answer is no - it is impossible. This is confirmed by the fact that most of them without a prescription. In fact, a substance is considered to be causing addiction if its use violates the important vital functions: parenting, work, love life. And itself takes a lot of time and mental energy. But here, for example, the coffee does not harm the work and the family, although the abuse they may eventually cause drowsiness or even the semblance of withdrawal syndrome. From a scientific point of view, depending on the coffee does not exist.
Same thing with nootropics. If you are on the threshold of two months of delivery of the project intensively drink Piracetam, then passing the project and stop taking these pills you will receive a short time withdrawal symptoms - lethargy and "inhibition" of the brain. But it wound up in a few days - a good night's sleep, sit at home and watch TV. And come back to normal, the brain will work again on normal - but not "high" speed.