• Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Stimulants Drugs that increase brain plasticity? (Concerta/ ratalin)

thugalbino

Greenlighter
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
24
I'm currently taking Concerta 36mg once a day. I am a college student, and lately I realized that it's more difficult to learn new things than when I was high school. I've read online on many websites that Ritalin (Methylphenidate) has been proven to increase Neuroplasticity, or as my Professor calls it, "brain plasticity." If you've never heard the term before, let me explain. Basically the human brain is in a plastic like state when you are younger and it grows more firm. When it's extremely plastic-like, you are able to learn quicker. So, does anyone on this forum know how long it takes for Methylphenidate to cause the brain to become more plastic? Also, which other drugs can help the improve Neuroplasticity? Or that will help speed up language learning?

I'm a Japanese major and would like to improve my Japanese speaking ability to that of a native speaker. I believe this would help me in attaining my goals, so any feedback is much appreciated.

Thanks!!

P.S. I checked google and found TONS of articles on Ritalin/ Concerta and a I think one on adderall as well.
 
The words you're using may confuse a lot of people.

Neuroplasticity is the ability to form new connections.

There is no relation to the physical properties of plastic and the brain other than being able to "mold", a crude metaphor.
 
Methylphenidate/amphetamine do not improve neuroplasticity (or if they do this is the first I have heard of it), they are just stimulant drugs. If they do have a neuroplastic effect it is overshadowed by problems like abuse, withdrawal, and neurotoxicity.

The brain remains "plastic" your entire life by the way. It's not something that can be easily measured either - nobody can tell you how long it will take for your brain to be "more plastic". What I can tell you is that many people feel they can concentrate better with a reasonable dose of a stimulant. Whether or not they actually do perform better is hotly debated.
 
^sums it up nicely

I've been using stimulants regularly to help with school for a good 6 months now (dabbled in high school for a while as well)...anyway point is, they don't provide the greatest help with studying, let alone brain plasticity. What I mean is, while on ritalin, adderall, or whatever, you can study and understand subject material with relative ease, but as soon as you're sober, it's hard to recall the info. I've experienced this problem more than once, especially with memorizing quick facts and statements, with math concepts like in calculus or economics, it's a little more helpful, because it's harder to forget an entire concept.

So yeaa, stimulants are better for when you need to just sit in one place and get shit done! Like a research paper or assignment you don't really care about.

That being said, if you've been doing Ritalin/Concerta, see if you can get your hands on some Focalin (dexmethylphenidate)..SOO MUCH better!! The feeling is more stable and the comedown is pretty much nonexistent
 
Thanks for the replies!
The articles were all dated sometime last year, I was hoping to hear some remarkable story about how stimulants helped you learn so many languages that you can't remember what ones you speak! I was hoping to find a way to get my brain to 'pick' up a language as quick as some kid. Seriously, how can an adult possibly memorize all that info to speak like a native? You can measure it with a brain scan and compare it to before. I couldn't find anything else on google. I want to hear someones person experience and if it did work, how long were you taking it before you noticed a noticeable change while you were studying?
Is there anyone on this board who used a stimulant to help with learning a difficult language?

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I'm just frustrated that a 5 year old can speak better than me.. xD
 
Top