noo- +

1. Activating or stimulating mental activity.
2. Causing cerebral or intellectual activity.
3. Tending to affect neurons favorably.
5. A reference to a drug used to enhance memory or other cognitive functions.
6. Etymology: the word nootropic is derived from the Greek words noos or "mind" and tropos, "a growth".

Affecting the mind; especially, the intellectual aspects (cognition, memory, understanding, etc.); used to describe drugs that improve cognitive functioning in people who are organically impaired.

1. Cognitive enhancers; such as, mind drugs.
2. Popularly referred to as "smart drugs," they are substances which boost human cognitive abilities (the functions and capacities of the brain).

Typically, nootropics work by increasing the brain's supply of neurochemicals (neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones), by improving the brain's oxygen supply, or by stimulating nerve growth.

With a few notable exceptions, nootropics have very low or no toxicity, making overdose unlikely. Most have few or no side effects, and many nootropics potentiate each other.

Piracetam (brand name: Nootropil®, Myocalm®), is a cerebral function regulating drug which claims to be able to enhance cognition as well as slow down brain aging.

Several pieces of literature on Piracetam indicate that it increases performance on a variety of cognitive tasks among dyslexic children, which may reflect improvements in intelligence or cross-hemispheric communication rather than a specific improvement in whatever causes dyslexia.

Piracetam also seems to inhibit brain damage caused by a variety of factors including hypoxia and excessive alcohol consumption.