Safety beliefs and knowledge of cognitive enhancers in UK university students

Cognitive enhancers (CE) are prescription drugs taken, either without a prescription or at a dose exceeding that which is prescribed, to improve cognitive functions such as concentration, vigilance or memory. Previous research suggests that users believe the drugs to be safer than non-users and that they have sufficient knowledge to judge safety. However, no research had actually compared the information sources used and safety knowledge of users and non-users. This study therefore compared users and non-users of CE in terms of i) their sources of knowledge about the safety of CE and ii) the accuracy of their knowledge of possible adverse effects of a typical cognitive enhancer (modafinil); and iii) how the accuracy of knowledge relates to their safety beliefs. Students (N=148) from King’s College London (UK) completed an anonymous online survey assessing safety beliefs, sources of knowledge and knowledge of the safety of modafinil; and indicated whether they used CE, and, if so, which drug(s).

认知增强剂（CE）系处方药物，用户可能未经处方或超剂量服用，旨在提升认知功能，如注意力、警觉性或记忆力。既往研究表明，使用者普遍认为该类药物相较于非使用者更为安全，且具备足够的知识以判断其安全性。然而，尚未有研究实际对比过使用者和非使用者所依赖的信息来源及其对安全性的认知。因此，本研究旨在对比认知增强剂使用者和非使用者，分析他们在以下方面的差异：i）对认知增强剂安全性的知识来源；ii）对典型认知增强剂（莫达非尼）可能产生的不良反应的认知准确性；以及iii）知识准确性与其安全性信念之间的关系。来自伦敦国王学院（英国）的148名学生（N=148）完成了一项匿名在线调查，评估了他们的安全性信念、知识来源以及对莫达非尼安全性的认知；并指出他们是否使用认知增强剂，以及若使用，具体是哪种药物。