Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .
Impact of Armodafinil on Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized, Double-blind Crossover Pilot Study
Objective : Examine the efficacy of armodafinil in improving cognition in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) . Background : Many patients with MS experience cognitive difficulties .  Armodafinil has shown promise as a cognitive enhancer in other patient population s. No studies have examined whether armodafinil improves cognition in patients with MS . Methods : We conducted a double-blind , placebo-controlled , crossover study testing the efficacy of armodafinil in reducing cognitive problems in patients with MS . We r and omized 17 patients to receive a dose of  lactose placebo  about 2 hours before they underwent a neuropsychological testing session . After a week-long washout period , we gave them a single 250-mg dose of armodafinil about 2 hours before testing them a second time . We r and omized another 16 patients to receive the active drug first , then the placebo .  We excluded 3 of the participants before analyzing the data . Results : After correcting for multiple comparisons of the 8 neuropsychological dependent measures , we found that the patients had significantly improved delayed memory on a list-learning task after they took armodafinil ( P=0.0005 ) , but no improvement on measures of executive function , visual memory , processing speed , or self-reported fatigue . Conclusions : Results provide preliminary evidence that armodafinil may improve delayed verbal recall in patients with MS . A larger trial showing enhanced memory among patients taking long-term armodafinil  could serve as a foundation for its possible clinical use as a memory enhancer in patients with MS
Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .