Acute effects of modafinil on brain resting state networks in young healthy subjects.
BACKGROUND
There is growing debate on the use of drugs that promote cognitive enhancement. Amphetamine-like drugs have been employed as cognitive enhancers, but they show important side effects and induce addiction. In this study, we investigated the use of modafinil which appears to have less side effects compared to other amphetamine-like drugs. We analyzed effects on cognitive performances and brain resting state network activity of 26 healthy young subjects.


METHODS
A single dose (100 mg) of modafinil was administered in a double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Both groups were tested for neuropsychological performances with the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices II set (APM) before and three hours after administration of drug or placebo. Resting state functional magnetic resonance (rs-FMRI) was also used, before and after three hours, to investigate changes in the activity of resting state brain networks. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was employed to evaluate differences in structural connectivity between the two groups. Protocol ID: Modrest_2011; NCT01684306; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01684306.


RESULTS
Results indicate that a single dose of modafinil improves cognitive performance as assessed by APM. Rs-fMRI showed that the drug produces a statistically significant increased activation of Frontal Parietal Control (FPC; p<0.04) and Dorsal Attention (DAN; p<0.04) networks. No modifications in structural connectivity were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, our findings support the notion that modafinil has cognitive enhancing properties and provide functional connectivity data to support these effects.


BACKGROUND
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01684306 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01684306.
Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University G d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
Roberto
R
Esposito
Franco
F
Cilli
Valentina
V
Pieramico
Antonio
A
Ferretti
Antonella
A
Macchia
Marco
M
Tommasi
Aristide
A
Saggino
Domenico
D
Ciavardelli
Antonietta
A
Manna
Riccardo
R
Navarra
Filippo
F
Cieri
Liborio
L
Stuppia
Armando
A
Tartaro
Stefano L
SL
Sensi
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D000077408:Modafinil; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010919:Placebos; D000077408:Modafinil