Based on a systematic review and meta- analysis we show that expectations regarding the effectiveness of these drugs exceed their actual effects , as has been demonstrated in single- or double-blind r and omised controlled trials .
For methylpheni date an improvement of memory was found , but no consistent evidence for other enhancing effects was uncovered .
Modafinil on the other h and , was found to improve attention for well-rested individuals , while maintaining wakefulness , memory and executive functions to a significantly higher degree in sleep deprived individuals than did a placebo .
However , repeated doses of modafinil were unable to prevent deterioration of cognitive performance over a longer period of sleep deprivation though maintaining wakefulness and possibly even inducing overconfidence in a person 's own cognitive performance
The term neuroenhancement refers to improvement in the cognitive , emotional and motivational functions of healthy individuals through , inter alia , the use of drugs .
Of known interventions , psychopharmacology provides readily available options , such as methylpheni date and modafinil .
Both drugs are presumed to be in widespread use as cognitive enhancers for non-medical reasons .
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Trial of Modafinil on Mood
Modafinil , a medication for the excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy , has been hypothesized to improve not just alertness but mood as well . The purpose of this study was to determine how treatment with modafinil affects mood in healthy volunteers . Normal healthy volunteers ( n = 12 , 10 men and 2 women ; 30 - 44 years ) underwent a 3-day , counterbalanced , r and omized , crossover , inpatient trial of modafinil ( 400 mg daily ) versus placebo with 4-day washout period between 2 treatments . Mood was assessed daily using both the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and a general mood scale , which consisted of 10 bipolar adjective ratings based on a severity scale ranging from 1 to 10 . Modafinil increased general mood and Negative Affect scales relative to placebo and had a significant effect on Positive Affect scales . These results suggest that modafinil may have general mood-elevating effects accompanied by increased negative affect ( anxiety ) . The findings may have implication s for clinical practice , in particular for the adjunctive use of modafinil in treatment-resistant depression
Based on a systematic review and meta- analysis we show that expectations regarding the effectiveness of these drugs exceed their actual effects , as has been demonstrated in single- or double-blind r and omised controlled trials .
For methylpheni date an improvement of memory was found , but no consistent evidence for other enhancing effects was uncovered .
Modafinil on the other h and , was found to improve attention for well-rested individuals , while maintaining wakefulness , memory and executive functions to a significantly higher degree in sleep deprived individuals than did a placebo .
However , repeated doses of modafinil were unable to prevent deterioration of cognitive performance over a longer period of sleep deprivation though maintaining wakefulness and possibly even inducing overconfidence in a person 's own cognitive performance
The term neuroenhancement refers to improvement in the cognitive , emotional and motivational functions of healthy individuals through , inter alia , the use of drugs .
Of known interventions , psychopharmacology provides readily available options , such as methylpheni date and modafinil .
Both drugs are presumed to be in widespread use as cognitive enhancers for non-medical reasons .