Essentials – Stimulants and Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs
In this episode, we explore stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs, medications used to improve alertness, attention, memory, and cognition. You’ll learn how commonly used agents such as amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, caffeine, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and memantine work, along with the conditions they’re used to treat. We’ll also review important adverse effects, contraindications, and serious safety concerns, including cardiovascular complications, growth suppression, stimulant toxicity, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. By the end, you’ll be better prepared to weigh the risks and benefits of these medications in clinical care.
After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:
- Name conditions for which stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs are used as treatment.
- Describe the mechanism of action of stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs.
- List the main examples of stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs.
- Describe the significant adverse effects of stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs.
You can also check out the original brick on Stimulants and Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs from our Psychiatry collection, which is available for free.
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