In 2015, I wrote a column, "Prior authorization for medications: Who oversees placement of the hoops?" The article followed my unsuccessful 6-week-long endeavor to get
modafinil authorized for a patient.
Sleep deprivation increased their discomfort, while stimulants such as caffeine and
modafinil made them less responsive to pain.
At 12 weeks, all the medications, which included amphetamines, atomoxetine, bupropion, clonidine, guanfacine, methylphenidate, and
modafinil, were found to be better than placebo in reducing core ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents, according to clinicians' ratings.
The researchers found that for ADHD core symptoms rated by clinicians in children and adolescents closest to 12 weeks, all included drugs were superior to placebo, but for comparisons based on teachers' ratings, only methylphenidate and
modafinil were more efficacious than placebo.
Modafinil, the most popular, works on several areas of the brain linked to reward, alertness and feelings of wellbeing.
Some surveys suggest that as many as a quarter of UKundergraduates have taken
modafinil or a similar medicine to help theirwork.
Clinical follow-up at 6 months after baseline evaluation showed clear clinical efficiency regarding EDS and cataplexy with symptomatic treatment in patient number 1 (
modafinil 400mg/d, clomipramine 10mg/d) and patient number 3 (
modafinil 400mg/d, sodium oxybate 5g/d), whereas patient number 2 (
modafinil 600 mg/d, clomipramine 50 mg/d) described some amelioration regarding EDS, but cataplexy remained uncontrolled.
Modafinil is typically used to induce wakefulness in the treatment of narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea [1-3].
In a study involving 39 male chess players, researchers in Germany and Sweden carefully measured the effects of the drugs
modafinil, methylphenidate (Ritalin), and caffeine on the participants' chess-playing ability, and compared these effects with placebo.
According to the company, the double-blind study will compare two different doses of THN102 with an active comparator,
modafinil, the standard of care drug for treating sleepiness in narcolepsy patients.