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Nervenheilkunde 2017; 36(09): 695-701
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1627516
Universitätsklinikum Ulm
Schattauer GmbH

Pharmakologisches kognitives Neuroenhancement und Neurotransmittersysteme

Pharmacological cognitive neuroenhancement and neurotransmitter systems
H. Graf
1   Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie III, Ulm
,
K. Malejko
1   Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie III, Ulm
,
Z. Sosic-Vasic
1   Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie III, Ulm
,
M. Gahr
1   Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie III, Ulm
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

eingegangen am: 02 July 2017

angenommen am: 13 July 2017

Publication Date:
20 January 2018 (online)

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Zusammenfassung

Unter pharmakologischem kognitiven Neuroenhancement (PKN) versteht man die Einnahme von Substanzen von Gesunden zur kognitiven Leistungssteigerung, ohne dass damit eine präventive oder therapeutische Absicht verfolgt wird. Epidemiologische Daten zeigen für Deutschland eine steigende Prävalenz von PKN in den vergangenen Jahren und es werden unter den verschreibungspflichtigen Medikamenten vorwiegend Substanzen eingenommen, die das cholinerge, dopaminerge und noradrenerge System modulieren. Wir gehen in diesem Artikel neben den neuroanatomischen und neurofunktionellen Aspekten dieser drei Neurotransmittersysteme vorwiegend auf Befunde zur Wirksamkeit von Antidementiva, Methylphenidat und Modafinil bei Gesunden ein. Des Weiteren werden allgemeine Prinzipien des pharmakologischen kognitiven Neuroenhancements und medizinisch-ethische Aspekte aufgeführt und diskutiert.

Summary

Pharmacological cognitive neuroenhancement (PCN) refers to the intake of prescription drugs by healthy subjects to improve cognitive functions without any therapeutic or preventive intention, and recent epidemiological data suggest an increase in prevalence of PCN in German population. Particularly, prescription drug modulating the cholinergic, dopaminergic and noradrenergic system were used for PCN. Thus, here we focus on neuroanatomical and neurofunctional aspects of the respective neurotransmitter systems and provide evidence for the efficacy of antidementia, methylphenidate, and modafinil to improve cognitive functions in healthy subjects. Moreover, we introduce common principles of pharmacological cognitive neuroenhancement and point on several aspects of a still ongoing ethical debate.

Schlüsselwörter

Pharmakologisches kognitives Neuroenhancement - Acetylcholinesteraseinhibitoren - Methylphenidat - Modafinil

Keywords

Pharmacological cognitive neuroenhancement - acetylcholinesterase-inhibitors - methylphenidate - modafinil
 

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