What is it?
Modafinil, marketed as Provigil, is an oral medication used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness due to narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or shift work sleep disorder, but it carries risks of severe allergic reactions, psychiatric effects, drug interactions, abuse, and potential harm to a fetus.
What does science research say?
Modafinil Treatment of Cocaine Dependence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Summary: The study analyzed data from 11 trials to assess if modafinil is effective and safe for treating cocaine dependency, concluding that it is not generally superior to a placebo. However, a subgroup analysis from the United States showed some promise for cocaine abstinence, suggesting the need for more extensive research.
Link: PubMed
Caffeine and modafinil modulate the effects of sleep deprivation on thalamic resting-state functional connectivity: A double-blind pilot study
Summary: The study found that both caffeine and modafinil affected the functional connectivity between different brain regions and the thalamus after 36 hours of sleep deprivation, although their effects on wakefulness or sleepiness were not significant. These findings help to understand how these substances work on a neural level and could inform future strategies for mitigating cognitive impairment due to sleep deprivation.
Link: ScienceDirect
Modafinil Therapy and Mental Status Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Comprehensive Stroke Center Analysis
Summary: The study investigated the effects of modafinil on mental status in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and found significant improvement in alertness and orientation shortly after administration. The findings suggest that modafinil, with its favorable safety profile, could be beneficial for early mental recovery in aSAH patients and support its use in acute care settings.
Link: ScienceDirect
Effects of modafinil on nocturnal sleep patterns in patients with narcolepsy: A cohort study
Summary: This study found that modafinil improved daytime sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy without significantly worsening their nighttime sleep. Notably, the medication reduced nighttime awakenings, particularly in females, and increased the time it took for children and adolescents to fall asleep.
Link: ScienceDirect
Chronic administration of caffeine, modafinil, AVL-3288 and CX516 induces time-dependent complex effects on cognition and mood in an animal model of sleep deprivation
Summary: This study evaluated how caffeine, modafinil, and two other drugs (AVL-3288 and CX516) affect cognition and mood in sleep-deprived mice. Caffeine was found to reduce anxiety and enhance memory over time, while AVL-3288 improved memory short-term; importantly, AVL-3288 and CX516 did not lead to depression-like symptoms, unlike the other substances.
Link: ScienceDirect
Effects of modafinil on epileptiform activity in absence epilepsy: Results of a study in WAG/Rij rats
Summary: This study found that the drug modafinil significantly reduced both the number and duration of epileptic seizures in WAG/Rij rats, which are commonly used to model absence epilepsy. The results suggest that modafinil could be an effective treatment for preventing epileptic seizures, laying the groundwork for future research in this area.
Link: ScienceDirect
Comparison of Solriamfetol and Modafinil on Arousal and Anxiety-Related Behaviors in Narcoleptic Mice
Summary: This study compared the wake-promoting effects of solriamfetol and modafinil in narcoleptic mice, finding that both drugs effectively promote wakefulness, but solriamfetol does so without causing significant anxiety or increased locomotor activity. Modafinil, in contrast, induced significant anxiety-related behaviors and increased movement, highlighting key differences in their neurochemical impacts.
Link: ScienceDirect
Atomoxetine promotes incentive value of modafinil and sensitizes exploratory behavior
Summary: The study examined how combining modafinil, which affects the dopaminergic system, with atomoxetine, which targets the noradrenergic system, influences motor activity and behavior in rats. Results suggest that the noradrenergic system increases the addictive potential and exploratory behavior when combined with modafinil, shedding light on the complex interactions between these neural pathways.
Link: ScienceDirect
Modafinil exerts anticonvulsive effects against lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in rats: A role for tumor necrosis factor-ฮฑ and nitric oxide signaling
Summary: This study investigated the potential of modafinil, a wake-promoting drug, to reduce seizures and brain inflammation in rats experiencing status epilepticus. It found that modafinil significantly decreased seizure severity and inflammation, potentially through mechanisms involving TNF-ฮฑ and nitric oxide pathways.
Link: ScienceDirect
Modafinil ameliorates the decline in pronunciation-related working memory caused by 36-h acute total sleep deprivation: An ERP study
Summary: This study investigated whether modafinil can reduce working memory impairment caused by 36 hours of total sleep deprivation in 16 healthy men. The results showed that modafinil significantly improved task accuracy and response times compared to a placebo, indicating its potential to counteract cognitive decline due to acute sleep deprivation.
Link: ScienceDirect
What do user think?
*Based on large scale analysis of publicly available user experiences, the higher it is the better overall opinions of users on efficiency, safety, availability, etc.
Category: Mostly Effective
Modafinil is best categorized as Mostly Effective because user feedback varies significantly: while some users experience substantial improvements in wakefulness, focus, and daily functioning, many others report minimal effectiveness or adverse side effects, indicating no clear consensus on its overall effectiveness.
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