A systematic review of modafinil: potential clinical uses and mechanisms of action

JS Ballon, D Feifel - Journal of clinical Psychiatry, 2006 - psychiatrist.com
JS Ballon, D Feifel
Journal of clinical Psychiatry, 2006psychiatrist.com
Background: Modafinil is a novel wakepromoting agent that has US Food and Drug
Administration approval for narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder and as adjunctive
treatment of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Modafinil has a novel mechanism
and is theorized to work in a localized manner, utilizing hypocretin, histamine, epinephrine, γ-
aminobutyric acid, and glutamate. It is a welltolerated medication with low propensity for
abuse and is frequently used for off-label indications. The objective of this study was to …
Background
Modafinil is a novel wakepromoting agent that has US Food and Drug Administration approval for narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder and as adjunctive treatment of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Modafinil has a novel mechanism and is theorized to work in a localized manner, utilizing hypocretin, histamine, epinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate. It is a welltolerated medication with low propensity for abuse and is frequently used for off-label indications. The objective of this study was to systematically review the available evidence supporting the clinical use of modafinil.
Data Sources
The search term modafinil OR Provigil was searched on PubMed. Selected articles were mined for further potential sources of data. Abstracts from major scientific conferences were reviewed. Lastly, the manufacturer of modafinil in the United States was asked to provide all publications, abstracts, and unpublished data regarding studies of modafinil.
Data Synthesis
There have been 33 doubleblind, placebo-controlled trials of modafinil. Additionally, numerous smaller studies have been performed, and case reports of modafinil’s use abound in the literature.
Conclusions
Modafinil is a promising drug with a large potential for many uses in psychiatry and general medicine. Treating daytime sleepiness is complex, and determining the precise nature of the sleep disorder is vital. Modafinil may be an effective agent in many sleep conditions. To date, the strongest evidence among off-label uses exists for the use of modafinil in attention-deficit disorder, postanesthetic sedation, and cocaine dependence and withdrawal and as an adjunct to antidepressants for depression.
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