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Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2013 Aug 27;6:65-74. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S47526.
Influence of methylphenidate treatment assumptions on cognitive function in healthy young adults in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Mommaerts JL, Beerens G, Van den Block L, Soetens E, Schol S, Van De Vijver E, Devroey D.
Department of Family Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
So in laymans terms: Ritalin is just an active placebo. Not a smart drug.
Influence of methylphenidate treatment assumptions on cognitive function in healthy young adults in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Mommaerts JL, Beerens G, Van den Block L, Soetens E, Schol S, Van De Vijver E, Devroey D.
Department of Family Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Increasing numbers of students use stimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH) to improve their study capacity, making them prone to subsequent prolonged drug abuse. This study explored the cognitive effects of MPH in students who either assumed they received MPH or assumed they received a placebo.
[...]
RESULTS:
No significant differences were found between those subjects who received MPH and those who received a placebo. However, significant differences were found between subjects who assumed they had received MPH or had no opinion, and those who assumed they had received a placebo. At three minutes, one hour, and one day after memorizing ten lists of 20 words, those who assumed they had received MPH recalled 54%, 58%, and 54% of the words, respectively, whereas those who assumed they had received placebo only recalled 35%, 37%, and 34%.
CONCLUSION:
Healthy, partially sleep-deprived young students who assume they have received 20 mg of MPH experience a substantial placebo effect that improves consolidation of information into long-term memory. This is independent of any pharmacologic effects of MPH, which had no significant effects on verbal memory in this study. This information may be used to dissuade students from taking stimulants such as MPH during examination periods, thus avoiding subsequent abuse and addiction.
So in laymans terms: Ritalin is just an active placebo. Not a smart drug.