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Modafinil is a drug that is primarily prescribed in the U.S. for narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. It has also gained popularity as an off-label cognitive enhancer.
With the increasingly fast pace of life in recent decades, many people feel they must complete a growing list of mental tasks faster than previous generations could have imagined.
For some of them, the answer has been to rely on medications called “smart drugs” for enhanced cognitive performance. Modafinil is a smart drug particularly popular with students.
Alertness
Mental Acuity
Focus- Stimulates wakefulness in the brain
- Promotes mental acuity & processing
- Enhances focus, motivation & energy
Overview of Modafinil
Related Topics
- What is Modafinil? (Provigil)
- How Does Provigil Work?
- Effects and Benefits
- User Reviews
- Typical Experiences
- Recommended Dosages
- How to Take
- Provigil Uses
- Use for ADHD
- Effects on Weight Loss
- Negative Side Effects
- Abuse Warnings & Dangers
- Comparison to Adrafinil
- Comparison to Armodafinil
- Comparison to Adderall
- Where to Buy
- Generic Modafinil Brands
- Is Modafinil Legal?
- How to Get Modafinil
- Review of Online Sources
Modafinil was first synthesized in France during the 1970s by Michael Jouvet, for Lafon Laboratories (later bought by Cephalon). The most common brand name of Modafinil is Provigil. Distributed by pharmaceutical company Cephalon Inc., this smart drug is marketed in a pill form.
Modafinil was first tested in animals and was seen to increase locomotor activity and alertness. Because of these effects, the first human clinical trials used Modafinil for the treatment of narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder that affects sleep and wakefulness. People with this condition often experiences excessive daytime sleepiness and will randomly and instantly fall asleep during the day. In many double-blind placebo-controlled studies done since the 1970s, it has been seen that compared to a placebo, Modafinil significantly improves wakefulness and decreases excessive sleepiness as measured on the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
Modafinil has also been studied for its wakefulness-promoting effects in other sleep disorders such as shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Shift-work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm disorder that causes excessive sleepiness that can occur in some people who work the late shift or overnight shift either on a regular basis or intermittently. In research studies, it has been seen that compared to placebo, Modafinil decreases the number and duration of of attention lapses and decreases excessive sleepiness in people with shift-work sleep disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition that occurs when during sleep the muscles that support the tongue and soft palate relax, allowing for a blockage of the airway and the cessation of breathing. Hypopnea refers to only a partial blockage and reduced, shallow breathing, while apnea is complete lack of breathing. People with this condition often have poor nighttime sleep quality and subsequently experience daytime sleepiness. Modafinil has been studied and found to be and effective adjunct treatment for improving excessive sleepiness in people with sleep apnea/hypopnea.
Modafinil was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 for use by adults for narcolespy. It has subsequently been approved for shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. It is classified as a Schedule IV prescription drug.
While the FDA has approved Modafinil only to treat narcolepsy, shift work disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea, many physicians prescribe it for other reasons. Among the most common off-label uses are to increase attention span, boost memory, relieve depression, treat multiple sclerosis, and for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
What is a Smart Drug?
Smart drugs are also known as cognitive enhancers. These substances do not cause a person’s intelligence level to skyrocket. However, they can increase brain functions by boosting the level of various neurotransmitters in the brain and by stimulating increased activity.
Some researchers believe this can result in various cognitive enhancements such as improved memory, mood, concentration, ability to complete mental tasks, and greater attention spans.
Some smart drugs work by boosting blood flow to the brain; this increases the brain’s supply of oxygen, glucose, and nutrients. Smart drugs like Modafinil are used to increase mental energy, improve decision-making, and allow students to study late into the night without feeling a need for sleep.
Examples of other smart drugs include:
- Adderall is commonly used to treat ADHD, by stimulating the release of dopamine and norepinephrine from neurons.
- Ritalin is another central nervous system stimulant that is used to treat ADD and ADHD.
- Hydergine is the brand name for a class of medications that act in multiple ways to increase mental abilities and slow aging in the brain.
Two smart drugs especially popular with college students for enhancing cognitive performance are the amphetamines Adderall and Ritalin. Doctors normally prescribe both drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
User reviews state that these drugs improve focus, memory, and concentration, however there have been known side effects related to tolerance, addiction and withdrawal.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Modafinil Smart Drug Benefits
Many healthcare professionals view modafinil as a promising alternative to stimulant medications prescribed to treat ADHD. Due to the fact that modafinil does not act the way traditional stimulants do, experts believe it is less likely to be linked to potential addiction or additional strain on a patient’s heart.
Despite this, the FDA has not issued official approval to use modafinil to treat this disorder.
Considerable research has been conducted to determine exactly how this medication affects the brain and the extent to which modafinil is actually a smart drug.
Researchers still have not discovered the exact mechanism through which the drug works; however it has been found that modafinil raises histamine levels to promote wakefulness. Histamine is a natural hormone that controls a person’s sleeping/waking cycle and also maintains daytime alertness.
Experts also know that modafinil acts to inhibit actions of a dopamine transporter. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter linked to focus, goal-directed behaviors, and motivation. This results in higher levels of concentrations of dopamine at neurons.
Even after the effects of modafinil have dissipated, dopamine levels have been found to remain normal. This means there is limited risk of withdrawal or a “hangover” effect often associated with other drugs.
Increased Productivity and Wakefulness
Some researchers believe that brain peptides called orexins or hypocretins are involved in the way modafinil affects the brain.
These two chemicals are present in the hypothalamus and affect neurons that extend to various other portions of the brain, among them several linked to regulating wakefulness. With the activation of these neurons, levels of dopamine and norepinephrine rise, and an increase in histamine levels follows.
Studies involving animals have shown that modafinil increases the release of histamine in the brain.
Both the military in the United States and Great Britain utilize modafinil to keep personnel functioning at a high level for as long as 40 hours at a stretch. Some studies have shown the drug to effectively reduce or eliminate the effects that result from short-term sleep deprivation.
Research has shown that modafinil can help individuals suffering documented memory impairment after becoming sleep-deprived. The drug helps make individuals’ minds clearer. However, not all studies that support this finding link the medication to any improvement in psychomotor functioning in humans.
In general, the drug provides individuals with a sense of natural wakefulness for hours without some of the jitters associated with amphetamines or caffeine. Many people who take it off-label note that it appears to sharpen their minds, makes problem solving easier, and generally improve memory.
Rising Use of Smart Drugs
When the journal Nature conducted an informal poll online to find out whether readers attempted to sharpen focus, concentration, or memory with drugs like Provigil or Ritalin, 20 percent responded that they did.
A clear majority of the 1,400 respondents stated that adults who are healthy should be allowed to take cognitive boosters for non-medical issues. Nearly 70 percent commented that the occurrence of mild side effects was an acceptable risk.
It’s unlikely that nootropics will actually raise a person’s IQ. However, smart drugs like modafinil can help individuals sharpen the cognitive skills they possess for extended periods of time.
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Article last updated on: May 12th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
I have add my Dr wants to treat with strattera Very expensive RX I need to know if she gives a drug screen which they do randomly to make sure you are not taking illicit drugs Will this smart drug,moidafinil show in a screen after 2 or 3 days? Thanks
Would you recommend taking modafinil for someone who is only 18. I feel a lot of pressure going to college and need a competitive edge to secure my future. Thanks in advance!