Outhoff, Kim2016-05-302016-05-302016Outhoff, K 2016, 'Cognitive enhancement : a brief overview', South African Family Practice, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 16-18.2078-6190 (print)2078-6204 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52779Cognitive enhancement involves the non-medical use of illicit and/or prescription drugs, such as agents prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, usually in order to stay awake and to counteract fatigue and loss of concentration, generally in the context of high workload and stress. Growing interest in taking prescription stimulant drugs for non-licensed purposes to improve academic, work and sporting performance has raised medical, ethical and regulatory issues.en© 2016 The Author(s). Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0].Cognitive enhancementHigh workloadNarcolepsyStressAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)Article