The drugs are normally prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but healthy students use them to get a leg up in school, by improving focus, concentration and memory.
Adrenaline, or epinephrine, is a hormone that dilates an individual's air passages and increases his heart rate when he is faced with a stressful situation. The hormone is secreted from the adrenal glands to help ensure survival under dangerous situations.
The most common cause of an adrenaline rush is a physical threat. When a threat is present in the environment, the body prepares the person for a fight-or-flight response. According to Goldstein, this response involves sending large amounts of stress hormones, including adrenaline, into the bloodstream.