Improve Your Cognitive Function with Modafinil

Cognitive dysfunction is a core feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders, yet it receives less attention in the current pharmacopoeia. Modafinil has been evaluated in several conditions that involve cognitive impairment, including narcolepsy and fibromyalgia.

One study found that a single dose of 100 mg modafinil significantly improved performance on a digit span task. Other studies have reported mixed results.

Exercise

Getting plenty of exercise can help improve your cognitive function. Studies have found that people who get more exercise report having better mental health, and it’s believed that the improvement is due to increased blood flow to the brain. This helps increase oxygen levels and glucose, which are both important for brain function.

Modafinil 200mg is an FDA-approved drug used to promote wakefulness in people with narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. It’s also been used off label as a cognitive enhancer by healthy individuals to boost their thinking and memory. However, the drug has been associated with adverse effects in certain groups of people.

A systematic review of 24 clinical studies found that modafinil improved performance on tasks requiring planning, flexibility, learning and memory. It was also found to reduce errors on prefrontal-dependent tests such as the Stroop interference task. It’s thought that the improved cognition observed with modafinil may be related to changes it causes in the hippocampus, as it increases the amount of glutamate released. It’s not yet clear how this mechanism relates to depression, but the finding that modafinil can improve episodic and working memory could make it a useful treatment for those with depression who have persistent difficulty with these functions.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet is essential for maintaining cognitive function. Try to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. It is also important to get enough dietary fiber and healthy fats. Berries, in particular, are an excellent source of antioxidants, which have been shown to improve brain health. Berries are also rich in flavanols, which have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain and reduce the risk of cognitive disorders.

Leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein and folate, and vitamin E. These vitamins have been shown to sharpen memory and promote brain health.

A double-blind placebo-controlled study of emergency department physicians after a night shift found that modafinil improved performance on digit span, spatial planning and the SSRT task, suggesting that it improves working memory, vigilance and inhibition of prepotent responses (Randall et al, 2005b). This is a promising proof-of-concept but further research on modafinil as a procognitive agent in people with depression would be helpful. Such a study should use larger samples and test for the drug’s effects over a longer period of time.

Get Enough Sleep

Some of the most effective cognitive enhancers are medically prescribed drugs such as Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (a combination drug containing two forms of amphetamine). These stimulants have been used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but recently they’ve become popular among healthy people seeking an edge for their academic or work-related endeavors. However, few studies have tested the efficacy of these so-called “smart drugs” in non-sleep-deprived people. Modafinil (Modvigil 200mg Australia), a wakefulness-promoting drug developed to treat narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder, has been shown to improve cognition in sleep-deprived people. Its effects on cognition differ from those of methylphenidate and amphetamine, indicating that they affect different neurotransmitter systems.

In a 2015 study, University of Oxford researchers found that the cognitive-enhancing effects of modafinil varied depending on the task at hand. It was observed that the longer and more complex the cognitive test, the more consistently modafinil enhanced performance. The researchers also noted that the drug’s effects were augmented by a light lunch, suggesting that food may help modulate these effects. Pre-treatment with modafinil also resulted in dose-dependent improvement of working memory on a sequential alternation task in mice without impacting exploratory behavior or anxiety.

Engage in a Hobbies

Many people focus on the physical aspects of health when establishing or revitalizing their hobbies, but it’s just as important to invest in mentally stimulating activities. Studies show that engaging in a variety of brain-training hobbies improves cognitive function and may even slow dementia or other mental health problems. Hobbies that require a certain level of skill, like playing a musical instrument or doing crossword puzzles, as well as those that challenge your hand-eye coordination, such as gardening and fishing, are particularly good for brain health.

The therapists at West Coast Recovery Centers encourage clients to establish and develop healthy hobbies during their time in partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient addiction treatment, as well as after completing our continuing care program. This helps them reduce stress and anxiety, improve their quality of life, and stay focused on a healthy lifestyle to minimize the risk of relapse. Additionally, engaging in a hobby is an excellent way to relieve boredom and avoid maladaptive thoughts or behaviors that could threaten progress in their recovery.

Take Modafinil

Modafinil is an alternative to other wakefulness-promoting agents and has lower rates of addiction and abuse. However, it is still a Schedule IV drug due to rare life-threatening skin conditions and psychiatric side effects that may be associated with long-term use.

In studies of healthy subjects who were not sleep-deprived, modafinil has been shown to improve performance on various cognitive tasks including digit span, letter-number span, visual recognition memory, spatial planning and delayed matching, and executive function (memory maintenance, manipulation, inhibition of prepotent responses, and task switching) (Turner et al, 2003).

In addition, it has been found that consuming Modafinil in the morning can help with balance circadian rhythms, which can also enhance cognition. Researchers are looking at the possibility of using modafinil to treat cognitive problems in people with bipolar disorder. Currently, most clinical trials of the drug are investigating its effectiveness in helping people with this condition overcome sleep disturbances. The drug has also been used to improve fatigue and sedation in a variety of neurological and medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, HIV infection, dementias, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and postanesthesia sedation (Ballon and Feifel, 2006). However, research is needed on the efficacy of Modafinil in improving cognition in these populations.