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Modafinil improves alertness, vigilance, and executive function during simulated night shifts
James K Walsh1, Angela C Randazzo, Kara L Stone
1Sleep Medicine and Research Center, affiliated with St. John's Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. walsjk@stlo.smhs.com
Sleep
|May 29, 2004
Summary
Modafinil (200 mg) improved alertness and neurobehavioral performance during simulated night shifts compared to placebo. It also enhanced some executive functions, mitigating sleepiness and deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Night shifts disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to sleepiness and impaired performance.
- Neurobehavioral deficits during night shifts pose safety risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of modafinil in counteracting night shift-induced impairments.
- To assess modafinil's effects on alertness, neurobehavioral performance, and executive function.
Main Methods:
- Double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study in a sleep research facility.
- 32 healthy volunteers received either 200 mg modafinil or placebo nightly for 4 simulated night shifts.
- Performance was assessed using the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, Psychomotor Vigilance Test, and executive function tasks.
Main Results:
- Modafinil significantly improved alertness, vigilance, and reaction times compared to placebo.
- Modafinil demonstrated beneficial effects on specific executive function measures.
- Subjective sleepiness and some performance metrics showed no consistent differences; daytime sleep showed minimal changes.
Conclusions:
- Modafinil effectively attenuated physiological sleepiness and neurobehavioral deficits during simulated night shifts.
- Modafinil offers a potential therapeutic option for mitigating night shift work-related impairments.