boost cognitive functioning in individuals with schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
This new finding suggests that the drug may work more like stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine than previously thought. These drugs used to treat ADHD, increase dopamine levels.
And now people are also buying it without a prescription, on the Internet or from France, Volkow said.
Animal studies had indicated that the drug does not work the same way as other stimulant medications, but lately, evidence has emerged suggesting that is not the case.
The authors used PET scans to study the effect of modafinil on the brains of 10 healthy men aged 23 to 46. Participants received either 200 milligrams of the drug (recommended for narcolepsy), 400 milligrams of the drug (effective for ADHD), or a placebo.
“We were interested in seeing if modafinil increased concentrations of dopamine in the brain reward areas because that’s where all the concern around stimulant medication and addictive potential lies,” Volkow said.
In fact, the drug did raise dopamine levels in the brain and, particularly, in the