Photo by Kaz Ehara Inside Alzheimer's

There are two companies currently developing the new memory drugs which have cognitive enhancing effects and are aimed at treating patients with age related memory loss. The first is being developed by British based Astra-Zeneca in collaboration with American company, Targacept. The other drug is being developed by American company, Epix Pharmaceuticals. Whilst currently these drugs are aimed at treating older patients, Steven Ferris a neurologist and former committee member of the Food and Drug Administration, America’s licensing authority told the Times that there was nothing to stop mild versions being cleared to be used as “lifestyle pills” by healthy consumers. Mr Ferris said: “My view is that one could gain approval, provided you showed the drugs to be effective and safe” “It could be a huge market.” People in Britain are already using mind improving drugs such as Adderall XR, Ritalin and Inderal. Adderall XR and Ritalin are treatments for attention deficit disorder and to promote concentration and Inderal is a medicine for high blood pressure that can also calm people down. An Engineering student at Cambridge University, Tamryn Shean, 23 told the Times that she use to take Ritalin to treat attention deficit disorder and said she noticed her performance decline after she stopped. She is now planning to use it again to her with her academic work. Shire, the British company that manufacturers Adderall XR told the Times that many of its customers were likely to be healthy, however, that there are risks since it can raise blood pressure so young people shouldn’t be talking it.