Modafinil enhances cognitive ability in healthy subjects and is particularly effective at enhancing attentional control, a core function. The arousal and activity-promoting effects are mediated by a and b adrenergic receptors and DA receptors as measured with microdialysis.
Modafinil is also known to reduce sleepiness in narcolepsy and other fatigue syndromes treated with stimulants. It is thought to increase blood flow to brain areas that manage attention and learning.
Benefits
Buy Modafinil Australia has become one of the most popular nootropics (cognitive enhancers) on the market. It’s used by entrepreneurs, millennials, and other white-collar employees to help them think and work faster. However, many people do not understand how this drug works or what side effects it can cause. This is why it’s important to educate yourself on the science of Modafinil before trying it.
A new study has found that the “smart drug” modafinil, which is prescribed for narcolepsy, also helps healthy individuals to think better by enhancing their performance on longer, more complex tests of cognitive skills like decision-making and problem-solving. The studies also show that the drug improves something called fluid intelligence, or our ability to quickly shift our attention and focus on different tasks.
The research, led by researchers at Oxford University in England, found that modafinil boosted participants’ performance on a variety of tasks, including spatial working memory, recall and selective attention, but not on tests measuring impulsivity or reaction time. It is not clear how this drug achieves its cognitive enhancement effects, but it is possible that it affects arousal and attention by modulating the release of dopamine in areas involved in planning and executive functions.
The researchers also noted that the drug does not have the same negative mood effects as other stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine, and has a much lower liability for abuse. They say their work is the first to examine the cognitive effects of modafinil in non-sleep-deprived healthy people and that their results indicate that the drug has a broader range of benefits than previously believed.
Side Effects
Modafinil appears to enhance cognition in healthy humans without causing the typical side effects associated with stimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate (Table 3). A randomized placebo-controlled single-dose study found that modafinil significantly improved performance on a digit span test, spatial planning task, and a version of the SSRT (which tests for inhibition of prepotent responding), suggesting improved working memory processes. In contrast, no significant changes were observed on perceptual or arithmetic tasks. Another study showed that modafinil dose- and delay-dependently improves alternation performance on a sequential alternation task in mice without affecting exploratory or anxiety-related activity.
Chronic decline in vigilance and attention due to narcolepsy, jet lag, shift work, or circadian rhythm disorders is a major cause of morbidity and disability in many individuals. Modalert 200 mg has been shown to be able to increase alertness and reduce fatigue, and may also improve mood in individuals with these conditions.
Its arousal-enhancing effects appear to be largely dependent on activation of catecholamine systems and, in particular, the adrenergic receptors a and b. A small number of studies have also reported modest cholinergic and norepinephrine-like effects, but these effects are generally much less robust than those of modafinil.
Although Modafinil has a low liability to addiction, some people who take it for long periods of time develop a severe skin reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis. This can be fatal, so it’s important to only take the medicine exactly as prescribed by a doctor.
Medication Interactions
People have been searching for ways to boost brainpower for hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years. Scientific efforts have revealed a few chemicals that pass the test of boosting cognition. However, many such drugs are dangerous or cause side effects. Modafinil is different, with fewer potential side effects and greater effectiveness than other cognitive enhancers, such as caffeine or nicotine.
Modafinil increases brain activity in areas that serve as conductors for skills like memory, reasoning and problem-solving. It also enhances the function of neurons that release acetylcholine, which is involved in attention and learning. Cortical adrenergic neurons may be particularly important in these effects.
Unlike many stimulants, which tend to affect only low-level activities, such as reaction time or motor excitability, Modafinil has been found to improve more complex cognitive tasks, including working memory, flexibility of thought and the ability to divide attention. Modafinil also seems to increase creativity and motivation, as well as reduce impulsivity.
Most studies of Modafinil have been short-term, so long-term efficacy remains unclear. Nevertheless, the results of several recent trials have been promising. The drug has been shown to significantly improve the performance of sleep-deprived emergency physicians on a variety of cognitive tests, as well as to boost work-related motivation and mood. Other clinical trials have shown that the drug improves teacher, parent and clinician ratings of ADHD symptoms in medication-free children with the disorder.
Precautions
Despite the growing popularity of so-called “smart drugs,” scientists don’t have strong evidence that any of them enhance one’s brainpower. But they do know that modafinil—also known as Provigil—has benefits for people with narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. Those effects include boosting blood flow to areas of the brain that control attention, learning and memory. The drug also improves something called executive function, which is the ability to sift through new information and make decisions.
Modafinil may increase the risk of seizures in some people. People with a history of seizures or a mental illness should be monitored closely while taking this medicine. It can also cause chest pain. This might be a sign of a heart problem, such as mitral valve prolapse or left ventricular hypertrophy. If you have one of these conditions, talk to your doctor before you take modafinil.
Other medications can interact with modafinil, including some prescription and over-the-counter medicines. It can also interact with alcohol. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking modafinil. It can lead to a serious, possibly fatal, reaction. Also, it can affect your ability to drive or use machines. Always drive carefully and ask a doctor or pharmacist before you start any new medication. This medicine can pass into breast milk. Do not breastfeed while you are using it. Read More Blog…
