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Study · Not a test of the peptide alone · 2026

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Predictors of Psychoactive and Nootropic Substance Use Among Romanian University Healthcare Students: The Interplay Between Academic Anxiety and Educational Advancement.

Caba IC, Iorga M, Mihăianu IG, Agoroaei L, Jităreanu A, Iurcov ROC

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)11 Jul 2026Cited by 1 (Europe PMC)

PMID42512595 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC13410115 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3390/healthcare14142079 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-42512595
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Summary

Background: The use of cognitive enhancers (CEs) is becoming increasingly widespread among students, especially in health fields, with significant implications for both academic performance and student well-being. The aim of the study was to investigate the use of CEs among healthcare university students in relationship with stimulant intake, academic progression, and academic anxiety. Material and Methods: The cross-sectional study included 402 students enrolled in medical studies (general medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and physiotherapy). Socio-demographic characteristics, health-related and academic data, lifestyle behaviors, and the consumption of different CEs were collected. The Academic Anxiety Scale was used to evaluate university students' perceived stressors that contribute to academic anxiety. Data processing analysis was performed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results: The frequency of cognitive compound intake exhibits a positive correlation with the consumption of group B vitamins (r = 0.170, p = 0.001), tea (r = 0.158, p = 0.003), and coffee (r = 0.113, p = 0.031). Lecithin and Ginkgo biloba were significant independent predictors (p p = 0.001). In terms of addictive risk, drinking caffeine raises the likelihood of being addicted by 4.78 times (p = 0.014). It has been demonstrated that the probability of using synthetic nootropics (piracetam/cerebrolysin) increases by 1.86 times (OR = 1.86, p = 0.021) as university education progresses (nN= 335). Academic anxiety had a mean score of 23.27 ± 7.38. Unemployed students exhibit markedly elevated anxiety levels compared to employed students. Respondents who justify the use of stimulants by feeling stressed or overwhelmed present the highest levels of academic distress, in contrast to those who use them to combat fatigue or out of curiosity. A large majority (95.0%) do not consider use of CEs as a form of cheating on examinations, and 88.9% are against its prohibition. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight that many university students in the healthcare field use cognitive stimulants during periods of intellectual overload, with more than 40% of participants utilizing CEs daily or weekly in periods of academic stress. Overload schedule, academic stress, the knowledge about their positive effects, and psychosocial contexts influence consumption.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone1

In this study, Cerebrolysin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Cerebrolysin.

  1. 01HumanNot a test of Cerebrolysin aloneObservational studyOther

    In healthcare students, educational progression was linked to increased use of pooled synthetic nootropics, piracetam and Cerebrolysin.

    In plain wordsIn healthcare students, educational progression was linked to increased use of pooled synthetic nootropics, piracetam and Cerebrolysin.

    Peptide
    Cerebrolysin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSynthetic nootropic use with educational progression
    Study

    n = 335

    Outcome group
    Patterns of use · Whole body

    Measurements

    Odds ratio
    1.86
    use of synthetic nootropics per step of university progression
    p value for synthetic nootropic use with educational progression
    0.021
    pooled piracetam/cerebrolysin use as university education progresses

    Source sentences

    Summary
    It has been demonstrated that the probability of using synthetic nootropics (piracetam/cerebrolysin) increases by 1.86 times (OR = 1.86, p = 0.021) as university education progresses (nN= 335).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The cross-sectional study included 402 students enrolled in medical studies (general medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and physiotherapy).

    In this study, Cerebrolysin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Cerebrolysin.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    14 Oct 2026, 05:02 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    14 Oct 2026, 01:46 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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