| A-Morgan HL, Petry AF, Licks PAK, Ballester AO, Teixeira KN, Dumith SC. 2017. |
To investigate the use of brain stimulants (type and reasons) by medical students in the South of Brazil |
Cross-sectional study (n=200) |
57.5% of consumption in life (20% of the use of methylphenidate), 52.3% of the current use (5.5% of current use of methylphenidate and of these, 64% started using it in college). More than 80% had the goal to enhance concentration and increase the number of hours awake. Reduction of use during the course. |
| Fond G, Gavaret M, Vidal C, Brunel L, Riveline JP, Franchi JAM, et al. 2016. |
Persistence and characteristics of the use of psychostimulants by medical students and postgraduate students in France |
Cross-sectional study (n=1681) |
6.7% used nonmedical stimulants during their lifetime. 57.7% of methylphenidate consumers seek to enhance their academic performance and concentration/attention. |
| Carneiro SG, Prado AST, Moura HC, Strapasson JF, Rabelo NF, Ribeiro TT, et al. 2013 |
Persistence of use without MPH prescription by medical students in Volta Redonda RJ-Brazil |
Cross-sectional study (n=160) |
Improve the capacity of concentration and attention, memory, and the number of hours awake. However, 10.8% of students claim to increase the dose to maintain the same effect. |
| Cohen YG, Segev RW, Shlafman N, Novack V, Ifergane G. 2015. |
To evaluate the medical and nonmedical use of MPH among medical students in Israel |
Cross-sectional study (n=229) |
9.6% were previously diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. In addition, 17% reported lifelong use of MPH, while 13.5% reported using MPH during the preceding 12 months. |
| Eslami AA, Jalilian F, Ataee M, Mirzaei-Alavijeh M, Mahboubi M, Afsar A, et al. 2014. |
To determine the factors related to inadequate use of Ritalin among medical students in Iran |
Cross-sectional study (n=241) |
6.6% of inadquate use of MPH in life, most of them seeking improvement in their academic performance. Prevalent use of tobacco and alcohol. Attitude, subjective norms, and prototype variables were responsible for 29% of the variation in intention and 25% of the disposition of this misuse of MPH |
| Acosta DL, Fair CN, Gonzalez CM, Iglesias M, Maldonado N, Schenkman N, et al. 2019 |
Persistency of medical and nonmedical use of stimulant medications byundergraduate medical students from Puerto Rico |
Cross-sectional study (n=152) |
Persistency of use of 47,4%. 60.3% used it to study for school examinations or to deal with the workload. 24.3% having their prescription, and 15.8% received the stimulant drugs from a friend |
| Franco Netto ROR, Franco Netto JAR, Silva Junior NZ, Silva SM, Vaz LHS, Aguero MAF, et al. 2018. |
Indiscriminate use of methylphenidate and possible side effects in medical students in Paraguay |
Cross-sectional study (n=100) |
33% used methylphenidate without clinical indication. 76% used it to enhance concentration capacity, and 41% felt tired after using it. Higher consumption in the first two years. |
| Silveira RR, Lejderman B, Ferreira PEMS, Rocha GMPR. 2014. |
To evaluate the prevalence of MPH use among medical students, to discriminate MPH use, and to correlate with alcohol intake. |
Cross-sectional study (n=152) |
23.02% used MPH once in life (majority of women). Its use occurred before exams; they started using it in college encouraged by colleagues. A greater use by 6th year students and nonmedical use of MPH correlated with alcohol abuse |
| Emanuel RM, Frellsen SL, Kashima KJ, Sanguino SM, Sierles FS, Lazarus CJ.2013. |
To evaluate the use and attitude of stimulant medication by medical students in Chicago-USA |
Cross-sectional study (n=1115) |
18% of use during life. 57% started using it during College. 63% made illicit use of the drug, having received it from a friend, colleague, relative, or someone they know. |
| Retief M, Verster C. 2016 |
Determine the prevalence and correlates of nonmedical use of stimulants as well as subjective opinion on peer numbers using these drugs (South Africa) |
Cross-sectional study (n=251) |
17% used psychostimulants, but only 2% had diagnosis of ADHD. Higher risk behavior for the use of illicit substances in users of psychostimulants. Most students believe that only a few colleagues use stimulants. |
| Fallah G, Moudi S, Hamidia A, Bijani A. 2018. |
To determine the persistence of the use of stimulants by medical students and residents in the North of Iran |
Cross-sectional study (n=444) |
11% use stimulants, of which6.5% use Ritalin. 51% of Ritalin users began with a 5mg dose, and the majority used it to improve focus and concentration. |
| Javed N, Ahmed F, Saeed S, Amir R, Khan H, Iqbal SP. 2019 |
Prevalence of non-therapeutic use of MPH and reasons to use (Pakistan) |
Cross-sectional study (n=400) |
9% used MPH at least once in their lifetime, as most users seek to improve their attention capacity. The main side effects mentioned were lethargy, soreness, and anxiety. |
| Finger G, da Silva ER, Falavigna A. 2013. |
Review the use of methylphenidate in healthy medical students |
Literature review (9 articles) |
Use in the previous year; the prevalence ranged from 3% to 16%. Current literature does not show sufficient evidence to support MPH use in order to improve cognition. There is no evidence that it enhances the capacity for memorization or associative learning. The drug appears to increase waking hours. |
| Abbasi-Ghahramanloo A, Fotouhi A, Zeraati H, Rahimi-Movaghar A. 2015. |
The persistence of inadequate use of substances and its determinants by medical students in Iran |
Cross-sectional study (n=1992) |
2,7% used MPH in the previous year to improve academic performance. |
| Silveira VI, Oliveira RJF, Caixeta MR, Andrade BBP, Siqueira RGL, Santos GB. 2015. |
To determine the frequency of psychostimulantuse among medical students from a school from the South of Minas Gerais |
Cross-sectional study (n=116) |
Persistence of 57% of stimulants use (majority women). 95.45% nonmedical use and 87.87% claim that the drugs are effective to extend study periods. |
| Wasserman JA, Fitzgerald JE, Sunny MA, Cole M, Suminski RR, Dougherty JJ. 2014. |
To analyze the nonmedical use of stimulants, in addition to variables linked with academic stress, social media connections, and use of other substances among osteopathmedical students in the Midwest USA |
Analytical study (n=380) |
Osteopath medical students in the United States showed more frequent use of non-prescribed psychostimulants than the general population. |
| Roncero C, Egido A, Rodriguez-Cintas L, Perez-Pazos J, Collazos F, Casas M.2013. |
International literature review between 1988 and 2013 about the legal and illegal substances |
Literature review (18 articles about stimulants, totaling 13.142 students) |
Use rate of 7,7%. Stimulant use is related with moments of academic stress. |
| Kudlow PA, Naylor KT, Xie B, McIntyre RS. 2013 |
To evaluate the real and hypothetical use of cognitive enhancers by students in Canada |
Cross-sectional study (n=326) |
15% with off-label use of one or more pharmaceutical stimulants as a cognitive enhancer. |
| Micoulaud-Franchi J-A, MacGregor A, Fond G. 2014 |
Persistence and the reasons to use illegal neuroenhancers in France |
Cross-sectional study (n=206 medical students pharmacy students) |
Non-clinical use of stimulant medications showing a rate of 5,8%. Most students used to improve academic performance and keep awake. |
| De Brun S, Wouters E, Ponnet K, Van Hal G. 2019 |
To answer the questions: Does competition put students under higher stress,increasing the possibility of misuse? Do the levels and interrelations between competition, stress, and misuse vary among students with different post-graduation course aspirations? |
Analytical study (n=3.159) |
A 2019 Belgium study researched what would be behind the need for cognitive improvement. The perception of the medical school as a competitive environment and high level of stress. |
| Bidwal MK, Ip EJ, Shah BM, Serino MJ. 2014 |
To compare the features of pharmacy, medical students, and medical assistants regarding the persistence of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use and identify risk factors linked to prescribed stimulants. California |
Cross-sectional study (n=730) |
The use of psychostimulants was higher by doctors’ supervisors and medical students than in the pharmacy course. Those three mentioned groups had a two-fold higher stress level than the general population |
| Jain R, Chang C, Koto M, Geldenhuys A, Nichol R, Joubert G. 2017. |
To investigate the persistence of MPH misuse and the knowledge regarding this drug |
Cross-sectional study (n=541) |
Persistence of use by 9.9%, the majority use it to improve academic performance, and it is used the most by third-year students. |
| Chandramouleeswaran S, Edwin NC, Rajaleelan W. 2016. |
To discuss the prescription of agents that improve cognition in healthy adults |
Opinion article |
Questions the risks and benefits of the use of cognitive enhancers in healthy adults and their prescription. |
| Beyer C, Staunton C, Moodley K. 2014. |
Presents a potential harm to society and the individual as the long-term side effect profile of this medication is unknown |
Debate |
The effects of MPH as a significant cognitive enhancer are more subjective than practical, and the existing studies are insufficient to directly answer this medication long-term side effect profile. Finally, the authors discussed ethics in the prescription and use by future doctors. |
| Cohen JL, Ma E, Rogers AJ. 2017. |
The well-being of students in medical schools |
Opinion article |
Use of psychostimulants among medical students to improve their academic performance. Criticizes medical schools for not evaluating, intervene or question themselves about the nonmedical use of such drugs. |
Thumbnail
Source: Pubmed e Scielo.