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"a month resulted in neurological improvements in healthy trial participants that were comparable to those taking stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) o

"a month resulted in neurological improvements in healthy trial participants that were comparable to those taking stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) or nicotine." I was pretty excited to read this headline, but the details don't make sense to me. They only did this on people without ADD? I don't understand why they didn't test this on people who have ADHD. "Healthy trial participants" would never be taking stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), so how do they compare how a healthy person changes from Ritalin.

dijit 8y ago
> "Healthy trial participants" would never be taking stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), so how do they compare how a healthy person changes from Ritalin. Maybe in your circles. But I know a lot of people who abuse focus enhancing drugs (often touted as "nootropics") to keep up with their academic struggles.
- jeherr 8y ago
  I think the point is that there is little research on how healthy patients react to stimulants because they don't need them in the same way that those with ADHD do. This study says nothing about how this may help people with ADHD because you can't assume that they will have the same result.
- intuitionist 8y ago
  Yeah, there’s a pretty thriving resale market for Ritalin and Adderall at any given college.
Bartweiss 8y ago
> I don't understand why they didn't test this on people who have ADHD. Ease of sample, probably, but also as a baseline proof. There's essentially no evidence of any brain-training game ever producing significant cognitive improvements in populations with roughly normal functioning (in which I'm including ADHD). So before pitching it as a Ritalin replacement, step one would be to demonstrate that it achieves anything at all. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have done that either, because the test was so close to the game that practice effects are the most likely explanation.

dijit 8y ago

> "Healthy trial participants" would never be taking stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), so how do they compare how a healthy person changes from Ritalin. Maybe in your circles. But I know a lot of people who abuse focus enhancing drugs (often touted as "nootropics") to keep up with their academic struggles.

jeherr 8y ago
I think the point is that there is little research on how healthy patients react to stimulants because they don't need them in the same way that those with ADHD do. This study says nothing about how this may help people with ADHD because you can't assume that they will have the same result.
intuitionist 8y ago
Yeah, there’s a pretty thriving resale market for Ritalin and Adderall at any given college.

Bartweiss 8y ago

> I don't understand why they didn't test this on people who have ADHD. Ease of sample, probably, but also as a baseline proof. There's essentially no evidence of any brain-training game ever producing significant cognitive improvements in populations with roughly normal functioning (in which I'm including ADHD). So before pitching it as a Ritalin replacement, step one would be to demonstrate that it achieves anything at all. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have done that either, because the test was so close to the game that practice effects are the most likely explanation.