Knowra Modafinil Modafinil Modafinil is a prescription medicine that promotes wakefulness and treats excessive sleepiness associated with disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work disorder.
Dopamine transporter : A membrane protein that removes dopamine from the space between neurons by transporting it back into cells. Modafinil inhibits this transporter, increasing extracellular dopamine in some brain regions.
Narcolepsy : A chronic neurological disorder marked by excessive daytime sleepiness and, in some cases, cataplexy. Modafinil is prescribed to reduce excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy.
Armodafinil : A wakefulness-promoting medicine composed of the R-enantiomer of modafinil. It is a closely related medicine with a longer-lasting concentration profile.
Adverse drug reaction : An unwanted and harmful response to a medicine taken at a usual dose. Headache, nausea, anxiety, and insomnia are among modafinil's possible adverse effects.
Cognitive enhancement : The use of substances or techniques to improve mental abilities beyond ordinary functioning. Modafinil is used nonmedically for alertness, but benefits for healthy people are limited and variable.
Dopamine : A neurotransmitter involved in movement, motivation, reward, and other brain functions. Modafinil's effect on dopamine signaling is linked to wakefulness and its potential for misuse.
Obstructive sleep apnea : A disorder in which repeated upper-airway blockage disrupts breathing during sleep. Modafinil can treat residual sleepiness when airway treatment has not resolved it.
Methylphenidate : A central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. It is a different prescription option for sleepiness, with distinct pharmacology and risks.
Stevens–Johnson syndrome : A rare, severe skin reaction involving painful rash, blistering, and detachment of the skin or mucous membranes. Rare serious skin reactions have been reported with modafinil and require urgent medical attention.
Placebo effect : A beneficial or harmful change associated with treatment expectations rather than the treatment's specific action. Expectations and sleep loss can complicate claims that modafinil boosts cognition in healthy users.
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