
Modafinil enhances cognition and is deemed safe by health experts - peteratt
https://qz.com/485020/the-worlds-first-true-smart-drug-enhances-cognition-and-is-deemed-safe-by-health-experts/
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alexandercrohde
Link to journal article:
[http://www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com/article/S0924...](http://www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com/article/S0924-977X\(15\)00249-7/abstract?cc=y=)

"What’s lacking is long-term data—important because study of other promising
enhancers has shown that the effect may not last over time."

This article fails to link to answer any of my key questions: What definition
of cognition? How does it compare against caffeine in these same tests?

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fasteo
Slightly off-topic.

The journal article is tagged with "nootropic". Modafinil is not a nootropic,
but a smart drug. There is a subtle but important difference between the two.
Both types of drugs enhance your cognitive performance, but a nootropic _must
be_ neuroprotective. Piracetam, the first nootropic synthesized in 1964 is
used nowadays to treat cognitive decline [1]

I am not saying that modafinil will fry your brain, but definitively it is not
designed to protect it.

In my personal experience, Modafinil works pretty well in _low_ doses.
25mg-50mg every 2-3 days lifts my mood and increase my work output
significantly. The recommended dosage (200mg) is a crash and burn for me.

[1]
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007238](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007238)

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pmoriarty
I'd hesitate to call anything that has a chance of giving me Stevens–Johnson
syndrome "safe".

This reminds me of those commercials for medications that will help you with a
runny nose, but have possible side effects of kidney, liver, and respiratory
failure, depression, and death.

A big fat "no thanks!" from me.

~~~
moh_maya
SJS is triggered by paracetamol & Acetaminophen [1] & antibiotics, among other
drugs. It appears that one needs a complex set of conditions, which can occur
with many drugs (including Modnafil & commonly used pain relievers, etc.).

Note that I am not endorsing (or challenging) the use of the drug to enhance
cognition. I just want to understand what evidence there is suggesting a
higher rate of incidence with modnafil as compared to sulpha drugs &
analgesics.

Literature survey in Pubmed reveals fairly few reports [e.g: 2], describing
only a handful of cases.

If the argument is: the risk of SJS is not worth the likely benefits in
improved cognition, I understand. But I am not convinced if there is
compelling evidence linking modnafil with SJS.

[edit: reorganized paragraphs; deleted unsubstantiated reference to allergies]
[1]
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24527413](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24527413)
[2]
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386138/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386138/)

