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.
Adrenoceptors in the membranes of effector cells determine the physiological and metabolic effects of catecholamines. Key Concepts: Noradrenaline and adrenaline are catecholamines. Noradrenaline is the main neurotransmitter of the sympathetic nerves in the cardiovascular system. Adrenaline is the main hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla. The sympathetic noradrenergic system plays major roles in tonic and reflexive changes in cardiovascular tone. Adrenaline is a major determinant of responses to metabolic or global challenges to homeostasis.