In “From Brain Gain: The Underground World of ‘Neuroenhancing’ Drugs,” Margaret Talbot speaks to the extent students will go in today’s schools to succeed in spite of their overscheduled lives. Talbot used an extended example of a college student who takes off-label Adderall to come to her conclusion that there is no valid point in banning the use of neuroenhancers because, “too many people are already taking them, and the users tend to… proceed with just enough caution to avoid getting into trouble” (par. 24). Authors of the academic article “Addicted to Adderall” recognize the same abundance of Adderall in colleges as Talbot. They claim Adderall as the most common drug among college students. When it comes to the dangers of off-label drug
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This dependency occurs after a series of chemical reactions in the brain. The research shows that “adderall primarily functions by targeting activity of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine in the brain” (Joern et al. par. 6). Norepinephrine is a hormone that deals with the brain’s alertness and focus levels. For a person with ADHD Adderall would allow them to focus on a single thing for longer than their brain previously allowed. The brain is being awarded by Norepinephrine and Dopamine while it’s paying attention. Although these benefits often sound appealing the side effects do not; many side effects include “nausea, loss of appetite, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation, mood changes, sleep problems, headache ,dizziness… fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats, numbness, tingling, and dangerously high blood pressure” (Joern et al. par. 9). The second hormone released by taking neuroenhancers is Dopamine described by Joern and other authors as a hormone “responsible for pleasures related to motivation, emotional states, and internal reward systems” (par. 6). Christopher Bergland’s “The Neuroscience of Perseverance” explains the scientific reasons why the brain enjoys Dopamine. The brain likes to achieve and Dopamine helps it do that. Bergland describes Dopamine as “the fuel that keeps people motivated to persevere and achieve a goal” (par. 2).
This dependency occurs after a series of chemical reactions in the brain. The research shows that “adderall primarily functions by targeting activity of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine in the brain” (Joern et al. par. 6). Norepinephrine is a hormone that deals with the brain’s alertness and focus levels. For a person with ADHD Adderall would allow them to focus on a single thing for longer than their brain previously allowed. The brain is being awarded by Norepinephrine and Dopamine while it’s paying attention. Although these benefits often sound appealing the side effects do not; many side effects include “nausea, loss of appetite, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation, mood changes, sleep problems, headache ,dizziness… fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats, numbness, tingling, and dangerously high blood pressure” (Joern et al. par. 9). The second hormone released by taking neuroenhancers is Dopamine described by Joern and other authors as a hormone “responsible for pleasures related to motivation, emotional states, and internal reward systems” (par. 6). Christopher Bergland’s “The Neuroscience of Perseverance” explains the scientific reasons why the brain enjoys Dopamine. The brain likes to achieve and Dopamine helps it do that. Bergland describes Dopamine as “the fuel that keeps people motivated to persevere and achieve a goal” (par. 2).