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 .
Modafinil improves rapid shifts of attention
Rationale The majority of studies investigating the cognitive effects of modafinil , a wake-promoting compound , demonstrate some improvements in attention . The potential of the drug to selectively benefit distinct components of attention has yet to be fully explored in healthy adults . Objective The present study was conducted to investigate modafinil ’s effect on specific cognitive tasks that tax components of attention switching . One required the rapid switching of attention between stimuli , and another contained an embedded working memory component on top of the attentional shift requirements . Additionally , prospect i ve memory was examined , which requires the interruption of an ongoing activity to retrieve and act upon a previously formed intention . Material s and methods Healthy non-smoking volunteers , matched on age , intelligence , and baseline cognitive ability , received either a capsule that contained 200 mg modafinil or placebo .  Subjective measures of mood and physiological response were taken throughout the experimental session , and the tasks were completed between 2 and 3 h post-dosing . Results Two hundred milligrams modafinil improved accuracy without a reaction time trade-off , in both conditions of the attention-shifting task , but only when re sources were most challenged . In contrast , the drug afforded no improvement in prospect i ve remembering or in the ongoing task that was interrupted . Conclusion Modafinil appears to promote rapid switching of attention in conditions that are most dem and ing , whilst it offers no benefits in a task that requires unpredictable and infrequent disengagement of attention from an ongoing task in order to act upon an alternative task
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 .