Resumen

CASTRO, Bruno Pereira de  y  BRANDAO, Elaine Reis. Circulation of information on drugs and other substances to increase cognitive performance: a study of a Brazilian blog (2015-2017). Salud colect. [online]. 2020, vol.16, e2514. ISSN 1669-2381.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18294/sc.2020.2514.

By observing the processes of (bio)medicalization and pharmaceuticalization of society, this article addresses drugs that have been used by healthy individuals to increase cognitive dimensions such as alertness, memory, and concentration. The use of so-called “smart drugs” or “nootropics” has spread among young people, aided by the internet. The circulation of information about such drugs are analyzed using a Brazilian blog called “Cérebro Turbinado,” through publications available for public access between 2015 and 2017. The study adopts theoretical and methodological frameworks of the social sciences, including an anthropological perspective. Documental research was conducted on the internet, specifically with scientific dissemination materials and the material available from the aforementioned blog. The results show that the blog acts as a medium for spreading biomedical knowledge among the lay public and indicates the production of new forms of subjectivity by revealing the meanings attributed to these substances in socialization processes.

Palabras clave : Medicalization; Internet; Nootropic Agents; Biomedical Enhancement; Brazil.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español | Inglés     · Español ( pdf ) | Inglés ( pdf )