Modafinil is a drug that promotes alertness and awakeness in sleep-deprived people. It also has cognitive-enhancing effects in non-sleep-deprived people.
It is effective for treating narcolepsy and shift-work sleep disorder. Two large randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies demonstrated that it improves subjective and objective measures of wakefulness in narcolepsy.
Modafinil Activates the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Receptors
Modafinil Online Australia has been shown to improve cognitive performance in non-sleep-deprived subjects. One study using c-fos labeling found that Modafinil enhances higher-brain functions, such as evaluating different points of view and making decisions. Another study using more complex tests of cognition, such as recognizing patterns and understanding other people’s views, also found that Modafinil improved these abilities.
However, the research found that Modafinil did not improve short-term memory or learning, nor did it enhance creativity. Modafinil has been shown to increase heart rate and elicit norepinephrine and urine epinephrine, which suggests that it interacts with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Modafinil is in a class of drugs called wakefulness-promoting agents, and it’s commonly prescribed to treat narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness caused by obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. It has also been used to promote waking in healthy subjects, brighten moods enhance cognition in people with depression or schizophrenia, and improve working memory in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Modafinil Activates Dopamine Receptors
Dopamine receptors act as a neurotransmitter for the brain and are involved in various cognitive functions. Modafinil acts as a dopamine agonist and stimulates the release of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum, thereby improving working memory processes. This effect on the dopamine system is thought to be a major part of why Modafinil is so effective in increasing alertness and reducing lethargy.
Several studies using more complex tests of cognition show that Modalert 200 mg increases the speed at which the mind works, and improves the ability to make decisions. It also reduces the level of mental fatigue and increases self-regard. This is why Modafinil is so effective in combating the lethargy of soldiers who have been deprived of sleep.
The wake-promoting effects of Modafinil have been confirmed in two large, double-blind placebo-controlled trials conducted by the US Modafinil in Narcolepsy Multicenter Study Group (Billiard et al, 1994; Broughton et al, 2000). However, excessive use of this drug can increase the risk of addiction. It is best to stick with healthy lifestyle habits, and only take a pill when necessary.
Modafinil Activates Serotonin Receptors
Modafinil acts in the brain to activate serotonin receptors and increase dopamine levels. The increase in dopamine causes the brain to be more active and enhances wakefulness. This is why Modafinil works so well for people suffering from sleep disorders like narcolepsy. It also helps with other conditions that cause a decline in vigilance and attention such as jet lag, shift-work, and chronic fatigue.
However, it is important to note that this drug has been found to interact with hormonal contraceptives and reduce their effectiveness (13). It is therefore important to use alternative methods of birth control for women taking this medication.
The central HA neurons also receive innervation from brainstem serotonergic and catecholamine nuclei (primarily LC and VTA) and they are inhibited by GABAergic input from the TMN during sleep. Modafinil blocks this inhibition and increases outflow to the cortex in the awake rat, similar to the effects of caffeine and dextroamphetamine (Tanganelli et al 1992).
However, unlike acetylcholine, Modafinil does not decrease the extracellular choline levels or reverse the scopolamine-induced increase in omission errors in the 5-choice serial reaction time test (Waters et al 2005). This suggests that Modafinil may be less likely to interfere with normal alertness and memory processes.
Modafinil Activates GABA Receptors
Modafinil appears to directly activate GABA receptors in the frontal cortex. Several studies have shown that Modafinil improves performance on various cognitive tasks in healthy non-sleep-deprived individuals, including working memory tasks such as delayed matching, maintenance and manipulation, and digit span, and attention tests. In addition, Modafinil enhances learning processes in mice (Beracochea et al, 2002).
Modafinil also appears to inhibit GABA-induced inhibition of pre-potent responses. In a study of narcoleptic patients, Modafinil was found to increase alertness and vigilance, and reduce nocturnal awakenings and daytime sleepiness (Czeisler et al, 2005).
Other studies have also demonstrated that Modafinil improves a range of other cognitive functions in healthy individuals, including arithmetic, spatial planning, and visual recognition memory, without affecting speed-accuracy trade-offs.
One randomized, placebo-controlled trial found that Modafinil improved performance on delayed matching and spatial working memory, but did not affect digit span or arithmetic accuracy in non-sleep-deprived adults (Muller et al, 2004). This suggests that Modafinil’s cognitive enhancement is independent of its wakefulness-promoting effects.
