Enhancing Drugs: Cognition Enhancer

In a society that seems to encourage us to be more, buy more, and do more of everything, let us examine the role enhancing drugs play in many people’s lives. In this unique webinar series, we delve into drugs that can increase our performance in sex, expand our cognitive capabilities, and even alter our very anatomy.

We will explore a variety of commonly used substances and reflect on what people are pursuing through their use; the perceived benefits, the significant risks, and the role of psychiatry and healthcare professionals in caring for people using drugs.

We set off on 24 January with Chemsex, we will continue on 13 March with Drugs that Enhance Cognition and on 20 May with Image Enhancing Drugs.

Learning objectives: 

Smart drugs' misuse; clinical- and clinical pharmacological-related issues

Professor Fabrizio Schifano

• the basic neurobiological elements associated with cognition; salience; memory; and attention
• the clinical psychopharmacological characteristics of those drugs most typically misused: methylphenidate and derivatives; modafinil; amphetamine salt mixtures;  microdosing LSD; and the range of remaining molecules
• those students/professionals who may be at a particularly higher risk of carrying out a smart drug's misuse
  

Neuroenhancers – Pushing our brains beyond its limits

Professor Amira Guirguis

• Define the key characteristics of nootropics
• Explore the pharmacology and biochemistry of nootropics
• Explore the mechanisms of action and indications of nootropics
• Compare natural vs. synthetic nootropics

Is it smart to use smart drugs? Informed user decisions and pharmacological cognitive enhancement

Dr Polaris Koi

• Gain insight on lay beliefs about cognitive enhancers
• Understand barriers to informed decisions about cognitive enhancers
• Understand risk-benefit analysis in a context of holistic well-being
  

Professor Fabrizio Schifano; MD, FRCPsych, Dip Psychiatry, Dip Clin Pharmacology

Professor Schifano is one of the very few physicians in Europe with training and specialist qualifications in both (clinical) pharmacology and psychiatry. Outstanding contribution has been made to several (e.g. mainly clinical) areas, including the identification of those physiopathological alterations which are making the individuals prone to developing either a substance or a behavioural addiction.

This knowledge is of crucial relevance in identifying possible treatment and management approaches which are properly tailored to these very vulnerable clients’ needs. Over the years, he has developed skills in a range of areas, including: Treatment and management of substance-based and non-substance-based addiction in both clinical and neurobiological terms.

Professor Amira Guirguis

Professor Amira Guirguis is a pharmacist independent prescriber and an expert in substance misuse research. She earned her PhD in the in-field detection of new psychoactive substances and has extensive experience across community and hospital pharmacy, drug and alcohol services, academia, and research.

Professor Amira Guirguis is a pharmacist independent prescriber and an expert in substance misuse research. She earned her PhD in the in-field detection of new psychoactive substances and has extensive experience across community and hospital pharmacy, drug and alcohol services, academia, and research.

She is a Professor of Pharmacy and the Director of both the four-year MPharm and five-year MPharm with a preparatory year programmes at Swansea University. She also chairs the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Science and Research Committee and serves as a member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), the GPhC Fitness to Practise Committee, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland’s accreditation panel. Additionally, she is a Fellow of both the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Learned Society of Wales, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

A Senior Research Fellow and partner at the Psychopharmacology, Novel Psychoactive Substances and Substance Misuse Research Unit (University of Hertfordshire), Professor Guirguis has authored over 100 research publications. Her research focuses on pharmacovigilance, medicines diversion, drug abuse and mental health, drug detection in prisons, point-of-care testing, and online drug analysis to enhance preparedness for emerging threats.

Dr Polaris Koi

Dr Koi is an Assistant Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Turku, Finland. He is a philosopher and interdisciplinarian working on the basic agentive processes of decision-making and self-control, and on explaining individual differences in behavior. His inquiry into this theme spans philosophical subdisciplines, and he has worked in the areas of applied ethics (especially neuroethics), agency and responsibility, and philosophy of cognitive science (especially psychiatry).

This event is taking place online via Zoom. To take part you will need:

• access to a reliable internet connection
• a PC, laptop, tablet or phone
• Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser or Zoom installed on your PC, laptop, tablet or phone.

Please note: It is up to the participant to ensure that they have the correct requirements in place prior to booking the event.

Joining instructions for the event will be sent out the week of the event.

Please kindly note, all sessions will be recorded and the recording made available within two weeks of the event.

We would encourage those who register to attend on the day of the event, should they wish to ask questions to our speakers.

All recordings are sent out to delegates via email to the email address used at the time of registering. If you are unsure whether your email address is up to date, please update this via your membership account. 

Terms and conditions

Please read our terms and conditions before making your booking, which includes:

• Event Cancellation Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Code of Conduct.

Event registrations are confirmed when payment is received in full.

Joining instructions are sent approximately one week in advance.

Book online

• Pay using a debit card or credit card and receive instant confirmation and a receipt

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• Request to pay via BACs and advise on your required booking details.

Using a College voucher

• Email your voucher and we will contact you if additional payment is required

We offer reduced rates to Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHP) on a case-by-case basis. To determine eligibility for the AHP rate, please contact the Division Events team.

Allied Healthcare Professionals include nurses, non-psychiatric mental health professionals (excluding those working at consultancy level), physiotherapists, occupational health therapists, physician associates, and academics.

GPs, consultant psychologists, and non-member psychiatrists please book the event using the Non-member rate.