We found that whilst most studies employing basic testing paradigms show that modafinil intake enhances executive function , only half show improvements in attention and learning and memory , and a few even report impairments in divergent creative thinking .
In contrast , when more complex assessment s are used , modafinil appears to consistently engender enhancement of attention , executive functions , and learning .
Importantly , we did not observe any preponderances for side effects or mood changes .
Modafinil is an FDA -approved eugeroic that directly increases cortical catecholamine levels , indirectly upregulates cerebral serotonin , glutamate , orexin , and histamine levels , and indirectly decreases cerebral gamma-amino-butrytic acid levels .
In addition to its approved use treating excessive somnolence , modafinil is thought to be used widely off-prescription for cognitive enhancement .
However , despite this popularity , there has been little consensus on the extent and nature of the cognitive effects of modafinil in healthy , non-sleep-deprived humans .
Influence of modafinil on somatosensory input processing in the human brain-stem
OBJECTIVE Since high frequency oscillations ( HFOs ) evoked by upper limb stimulation are susceptible to arousal fluctuation , we verified whether administration of modafinil , a vigilance promoting drug , modifies such responses at different levels of the somatosensory system . METHODS HFOs were obtained in 6 healthy volunteers by 500 - 700 Hz filtering of right median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials , before and 2 hours after the administration of 100 mg modafinil . Raw data were further su bmi tted to brain electrical source analysis . RESULTS Modafinil significantly increased subcortical HFOs , as well as the strength of a dipolar source at the base of the skull . CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that modafinil exerts its action also at the level of the brain-stem , where it interferes with the processing of somatosensory ascending inputs
We found that whilst most studies employing basic testing paradigms show that modafinil intake enhances executive function , only half show improvements in attention and learning and memory , and a few even report impairments in divergent creative thinking .
In contrast , when more complex assessment s are used , modafinil appears to consistently engender enhancement of attention , executive functions , and learning .
Importantly , we did not observe any preponderances for side effects or mood changes .
Modafinil is an FDA -approved eugeroic that directly increases cortical catecholamine levels , indirectly upregulates cerebral serotonin , glutamate , orexin , and histamine levels , and indirectly decreases cerebral gamma-amino-butrytic acid levels .
In addition to its approved use treating excessive somnolence , modafinil is thought to be used widely off-prescription for cognitive enhancement .
However , despite this popularity , there has been little consensus on the extent and nature of the cognitive effects of modafinil in healthy , non-sleep-deprived humans .