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If you have never heard the word “Nootropics” before, it might surprise you that millions of people around the world use these supplements and thousands of research articles have been published on the subject.
Interest in nootropics is growing at a fever pitch rate these days, but most people are unfamiliar with what a nootropic is as well as what some of the more popular examples of nootropics are.
The word itself is taken from the Greek language and is a combination of two words: “mind” and “turning”. It is literally translated as “towards the mind” or “affecting the mind”.
This is appropriate given the fact that these compounds are known to enhance mental performance, positively effecting memory, learning, concentration and reasoning.
But what exactly is the definition of a nootropic and how do these substances compare to other types of brain boosters or smart drugs that are available?
Mental Function
Mental Function
Brain Health- Promotes brain health & communication
- Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
- oosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Nootropic Definition:
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There are several definitions of what constitutes a Nootropic supplement. The criteria changes depending on whom you ask.
Furthermore, the way the phrase is used colloquially has changed quite a bit recently, such that many substances that would not previously have been considered nootropics now are commonly grouped in with traditional nootropic agents.
Since this is the case, an examination of several different sources is in order.
Perhaps the most general definition is from the Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary: ‘denotes an agent having an effect on memory.’ This is the way that much of the general population thinks of nootropics.
According to this, anything that influences memory performance falls under the banner of a Nootropic. This is generally considered much too broad of a definition and it misses the spirit of what was intended by the individual who first established this class of compounds.
For example, amphetamines are known to improve memory scores on certain metrics, but they do not classify as nootropics according to even the most generous of formulations.
Giurgea’s Definition
The original definition for nootropics was laid out by Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea who also is the inventor behind Piracetam. When Giurgea began to analyze Piracetam (a substance originally developed to treat motion sickness), he discovered that it has some remarkable properties unlike any other substance known at the time.
Piracetam had significant benefits for mental performance, improving memory and information processing, but it also was extremely safe. It was known to lack any of the negative side effects associated with Central Nervous System stimulants (like amphetamines) and demonstrated neuroprotective properties that could actually improve brain health over the long term.
As such, Giurgea formulated the following standards for supplements to be considered Nootropics. They must:
- Enhance learning and memory.
- Enhance learned behaviors under conditions known to disrupt them.
- Protect the brain from physical or chemical injury.
- Enhance the tonic cortical/subcortical control mechanisms
- Exhibit few side effects and extremely low toxicity, while lacking the pharmacology of typical psychotropic drugs (motor stimulation, sedation, etc.)
This definition has since been replaced by a 1979 set of criteria laid out by Dr. V. Skondia. Skondia’s proposal involves a much more in-depth description of the accepted mechanisms of action for nootropics.
Skondia’s Nootropic Criteria requires that nootropics not cause constriction or dilation of blood vessels, that they not change EEG activity, that they pass through the blood-brain barrier, and that they exhibit metabolic activity in the brain.
However, there still remains disagreement about what should formally be considered a nootropic. While there is agreement about some features of the definition, other features are quite vague and difficult to apply consistently.
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Nootropics in the Real World
Another source of evidence is to look at how a majority of people in the nootropics community typically use this term and to determine what substances are generally agreed to fall within the scope of nootropics. This is essentially a definition by enumeration.
We know that supplements like Piracetam, Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam and Noopept quite clearly fit into the bounds of being nootropics.
We also know that nutrients such as Choline, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Tyrosine, and 5-HTP are considered to be nootropics. Some herbal compounds like Huperzine A, Vinpocetine and Pterostilbene are regularly counted among the class of nootropics.
And there are those who would say that smart drugs like Adrafinil, Modafinil and Armodafinil qualify as nootropics. There are also those who would say that Adrafinil, Modafinil and Armodafinil most definitely do not qualify as nootropics.
The potential for disagreement may be unsatisfying for the purpose of creating a rigid definition that works in all cases. Thus, it seems like the closest we are going to get is a functional definition of what a nootropic ought to be.
We might not be able to arrive at a sufficient condition, but we can lay out the following necessary condition at the very least: a nootropic must be some sort of drug, supplement, nutraceutical (pseudopharmaceutial), or functional food that has the potential to improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration.
We may also want to add that in most cases, a Nootropic is something that enhances learning, facilitates the flow of information between cerebral hemispheres, boosts neural resistance towards chemical and physical injuries, and have very limited or no side effects.
Nootropics vs Cognitive Enhancers:
Another type of definition we can approach is one by way of comparison. A main feature of nootropics is that they not only boost brain functions related to cognition, but they also have an element of protecting or contributing the overall health of the brain. These substances are supposed to be non-toxic with low risk of side effects. Under Giurgea’s initial conception, nootropics are non-stimulants.
That means that substances like caffeine would not technically cut it as nootropics in Giurgea’s day. Today, it is more common to view caffeine as a type of nootropic, but we still recognize that stimulants like ephedrine, Ritalin and Adderall are quite different from the defined class of nootropics.
This difference can be cached out as the difference between cognitive enhancers and nootropics. A cognitive enhancer is simply any compound that enhances so-called intellectual processing. All nootropics are cognitive enhancers, but not all cognitive enhancers are nootropics.
Smart drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall do classify as cognitive enhancers because they can support improved mental performance. However, due to their risk of negative side effects and due to the stimulant nature of their mechanisms of action, they would not be considered nootropics.
This is a line that is frequently blurred, but it remains one of the most important distinctions that makes the family of nootropics special.
A Functional Definition of Nootropic Agents:
Nootropics work in several different ways to improve conditions for mental processing.
For example, they may increase oxygen levels in the brain by increasing cerebral blood flow. They may assist in energy metabolism and the production of ATP in neurons. They may stimulate greater neural activity in one or more parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus which is involved in memory.
Nootropic agents may inhibit the functioning of certain enzymes that are known to break down neurotransmitters, leading to higher circulating levels of these key brain chemicals. Additionally, these supplement may directly increase levels of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, glutamate, dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine.
True nootropics will also offer neuroprotective abilities, boosting the maintenance and development of brain cells or helping to removing damaging toxins or waste products.
Some nootropics (like Noopept) increase levels of Nerve Growth Factor and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the brain. Others will increase the density of synaptic receptors and enhance neuroplasticity.
Certain nootropics are known to prevent and reverse damage due to substance abuse, trauma or degeneration. Many nootropics are anti-oxidants and many more nootropics work to increase the fluidity of brain cell membrane walls.
These compounds are often regarded as having anti-aging benefits and can be used to prevent or decrease the severity of age-related cognitive decline, memory loss, Alzheimer’s and senile dementia.
Certainly, nootropics are an incredibly broad category of substances. But in understanding some of these shared mechanisms of action, we can arrive at a general definition of nootropic properties to explain how these compounds actually effect the brain.
While there many never be agreement on whether one individual supplement deserve this sought-after moniker, we can generally agree on a set of properties that most nootropics share. This loose definition should be sufficient for most individuals, if not for neuroscientists themselves.
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Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment