Modafinil is the first well-validated pharmaceutical nootropic drug to enhance cognition independent of its effects on sleep disorders (Table 2). It improves performance on a sequential alternation task and a version of the Tower of London in schizophrenic patients.
The vigilance-promoting drug modafinil tablet australia increases learning and attention in middle-aged rats without affecting exploratory or anxiety-related activity (Morgan et al, 2007). It also amplifies the increase of cortical extracellular serotonin levels caused by fluoxetine and imipramine via its indirect effects on dopamine.
Boosts Memory
Among the many substances used to boost cognitive function, modafinil (sold under the brand name Provigil) stands out as particularly effective. It’s a wakefulness-promoting drug that’s used to treat excessive sleeping disorders like narcolepsy and sleep apnea, but it’s also often used off-label as a ‘cognitive enhancer’ for people who want to improve their focus, memory, learning, and other aspects of cognition.
Previous studies have found that modafinil can significantly increase the ability to do certain tasks, such as a digit span test or delayed matching task. However, the results have been mixed with other tests that measure a broader array of cognitive functions. Until now, scientists didn’t know whether these more complex tests were affected by the drug.
In a study published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, Oxford researchers Ruairidh Battleday and Anna-Katherine Brem found that modafinil does significantly boost cognition on these more complex tests. They believe this is the first time a drug has been shown to reliably enhance cognitive performance in healthy adults without being specifically used to counteract sleep deprivation.
Increases Attention
Although modafinil was originally developed to treat narcolepsy, it is now widely used as a cognitive enhancer in healthy people, particularly for tasks such as exam preparation. It has been shown to improve performance on several computerized tests of working memory, visual attention, and problem-solving.
Several studies have found that Modalert 200mg Australia significantly increases working memory capacity in healthy volunteers. One study using a novel task involving spatial working memory found that modafinil significantly improved the ability to search for information in complex, 10-box problems, whereas participants given placebo made more between-search errors.
Other studies have also reported that modafinil improves performance on a variety of cognitive tasks in sleep deprivation and simulated night shift conditions. For example, a 4-day regimen of 200 mg modafinil improved error rates on the WCST and the Hayling sentence completion test, both of which require cognitive control and are associated with activation in the dorsolateral PFC and anterior cingulate cortex.
Another study that analyzed data from the WCST and two other cognitive tasks in a double-blind design, found that modafinil improved response latency on both the stop signal and arithmetic test, but did not affect RT or accuracy. This suggests that modafinil improves attention mainly by enhancing the adoption of a context-dependent strategy rather than by improving overall vigilance or response speed.
Increases Learning
While Modafinil has been shown to improve learning in several small studies, its effects on cognitive functioning are not consistent. The drugs do increase performance on several tests, including digit span and visual recognition memory, but not all trials have found these effects. A 2003 trial found that participants on Modafinil performed better on a letter-number-spanning task than on a placebo. In the same study, modafinil was associated with improvements in decision-making and planning, and a decrease in impulsivity. However, a 2014 trial found that it did not significantly increase learning or improve the ability to understand different points of view.
It is important to note that most studies on cognition-enhancing drugs have been conducted in healthy people and not individuals with specific mental health conditions. These studies often report that subjects feel more alert, energetic, and energized on Modafinil, but some studies have also reported negative side effects like nausea, stomachaches, insomnia, and anxiety.
It is important for individuals to carefully consider whether the benefits of using a cognition enhancer outweigh the risks, particularly since some research suggests that long-term use can lead to addiction.
Increases Creativity
As the number of people taking “smart drugs” (Adderall, Ritalin, modafinil) without a medical prescription tripled in recent years, some experts have warned that they could cause psychosis. But others point out that, even in a carefully controlled dose, these drugs can increase brain performance and help you concentrate better, think faster, and remember more.
It’s important to note that the studies on smart drugs and cognitive enhancement are limited in number and scope. A few have looked at creativity measures with stimulants like modafinil and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. They generally show an improvement in creative flexibility and convergent thinking in people with low creativity scores, but not in those with high creativity scores.
More research is needed to determine whether the benefits of these drugs extend to higher-order cognitive functions, such as planning and decision-making, fluid intelligence, and creativity. It is also important to compare the effects of smart drugs with the non-pharmacological methods that have been shown to improve cognition, such as physical exercise and sleep.
Increases Executive Function
Increasing cognitive function can help with impulsive control, and a drug called modafinil has been shown to improve this. In studies of impulsive control in patients with schizophrenia, modafinil significantly increased performance on a task that measured planning, as well as reduced response latency. The improvement in planning is consistent with theories of reflection, where the ability to evaluate and use available information before deciding on an action helps control impulsive responses (Evenden, 1999).
However, the effects were less robust on simple tests that only measure one sub-component of cognition, like pressing a button when seeing a certain color. In a study published in 2015, Ruairidh Battleday and Anna-Katherine Brem from the University of Oxford found that the drug’s effectiveness was more consistent on more complex tests that measure planning and decision-making; learning and memory; and executive function.
These findings mean that if you don’t have a specific medical condition that requires you to take the drug, there are plenty of reasons why it might be worth trying it as a way to boost your focus and increase your productivity. Just make sure you follow the directions on your prescription and don’t misuse it.
