title: Efficacy of stimulants for cognitive enhancement in  non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth:  a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increasing prescription stimulant abuse among youth without diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is of concern. The most frequently cited motive for abuse is improved academic achievement via neurocognitive enhancement. Our aim in reviewing the literature was to identify neurocognitive effects of prescription stimulants in non-ADHD youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review was conducted for youth aged 12–25 years using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Fourteen papers were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Modafinil appears to improve reaction time (P ≤ 0.04), logical reasoning (P ≤ 0.05) and problem-solving. Methylphenidate appears to improve performance in novel tasks and attention-based tasks (P ≤ 0.05), and reduces planning latency in more complex tasks (P ≤ 0.05). Amphetamine has been shown to improve consolidation of information (0.02 ≥ P ≤ 0.05), leading to improved recall. Across all three types of prescription stimulants, research shows improved attention with lack of consensus on whether these improvements are limited to simple versus complex tasks in varying youth populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The heterogeneity of the non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth population, the variation in cognitive task characteristics and lack of replication of studies makes assessing the potential global neurocognitive benefits of stimulants among non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder youth difficult; however, some youth may derive benefit in specific cognitive domains.
authors.forename: Kara Simone
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bagot
authors.forename: Yifrah
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaminer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077408:Modafinil; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D008774:Methylphenidate; D000661:Amphetamine; D000077408:Modafinil
references.citation: Science. 1978 Feb 3;199(4328):560-3
references.pmid: 341313
references.citation: Sleep. 2009 Feb;32(2):205-16
references.pmid: 19238808
references.citation: J Sleep Res. 1997 Jun;6(2):84-91
references.pmid: 9377538
references.citation: Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Dec 15;54(12):1465-8
references.pmid: 14675812
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1996 Jun;125(4):371-8
references.pmid: 8826542
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan;202(1-3):541-7
references.pmid: 19011838
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1995 May;119(2):155-62
references.pmid: 7659762
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2004 Mar;130(2):324-40
references.pmid: 14979775
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Jan;47(1):21-31
references.pmid: 18174822
references.citation: J Am Coll Health. 2005 May-Jun;53(6):253-62
references.pmid: 15900989
references.citation: Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1982;6(3):269-73
references.pmid: 6890702
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Dec 9;105(49):19504-7
references.pmid: 19050076
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1980 Aug;37(8):933-43
references.pmid: 7406657
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2000 Jun;150(3):272-82
references.pmid: 10923755
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2012 Jun;221(4):611-9
references.pmid: 22169884
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 May 13;100(10):6186-91
references.pmid: 12716966
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1999 Oct;146(4):482-91
references.pmid: 10550499
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1993;111(1):1-16
references.pmid: 7870923
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2012 Feb 22;32(8):2619-27
references.pmid: 22357846
references.citation: Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2010 Jul;34(8):1256-66
references.pmid: 20381522
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;160(11):1909-18
references.pmid: 14594733
references.citation: J Sleep Res. 1995 Dec;4(4):212-228
references.pmid: 10607161
references.citation: Neuropharmacology. 2013 Jan;64:496-505
references.pmid: 22884611
references.citation: Harm Reduct J. 2009 Jun 16;6:10
references.pmid: 19531231
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1997 May;131(2):196-206
references.pmid: 9201809
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1985;86(1-2):90-5
references.pmid: 3927371
references.citation: Nature. 2008 May 29;453(7195):586
references.pmid: 18509418
references.citation: Drug Alcohol Depend. 2006 Sep 15;84(2):135-43
references.pmid: 16480836
references.citation: Sci Eng Ethics. 2009 Sep;15(3):311-41
references.pmid: 19543814
references.citation: Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2011 Dec;19(6):433-44
references.pmid: 21875224
references.citation: Nature. 2008 Dec 11;456(7223):702-5
references.pmid: 19060880
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan;202(1-3):487-95
references.pmid: 19031073
references.citation: Hum Psychopharmacol. 2004 Jul;19(5):323-32
references.pmid: 15252824
references.citation: J Med Ethics. 2012 Jun;38(6):372-5
references.pmid: 22228818
references.citation: Psychol Rev. 2002 Oct;109(4):679-709
references.pmid: 12374324
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2011 Sep;137(5):742-8
references.pmid: 21859175
references.citation: Pharmacotherapy. 2006 Oct;26(10):1501-10
references.pmid: 16999660
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2011 Sep;137(5):717-41
references.pmid: 21859174
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Jan;165(3):260-9
references.pmid: 12417966