Nootropics, or smart drugs, are natural or synthetic substances intended to improve your mental performance.

Piracetam is considered the first nootropic drug of its kind. It can be purchased online or in health food stores and comes in both capsule and powder form (1Trusted Source).

It’s a popular synthetic derivative of the neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger that helps slow down activity in your nervous system.

However, piracetam doesn’t appear to affect your body in the same way as GABA.

In fact, researchers still aren’t entirely sure how it functions (1Trusted Source).

That said, studies link the drug to several benefits, including improved brain function, reduced dyslexia symptoms, and fewer myoclonic seizures.