Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Color Spot Test As a Presumptive Tool for the Rapid Detection of Synthetic Cathinones
Published on: February 5, 2018
Modafinil: is it ready for prime time?
1UCLA School of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Psychostimulants have been used to treat many symptoms associated with advanced cancer. The primary role of psychostimulants in such cases is the treatment of symptoms such as cancer-related fatigue, opioid-induced sedation, depression, and cognitive dysfunction associated with malignancies. These uses for psychostimulants came after approval for treatment of disorders such as attention deficit disorder. Modafinil, a new psychostimulant, is following a similar path after its approval for use in attention deficit disorder in 1998. Modafinil has been used to treat fatigue associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is now being increasingly used for cancer-related symptoms targeted by psychostimulants. Preliminary evidence from literature review suggests that modafinil is efficacious in improving opioid-induced sedation, cancer-related fatigue, and depression. There is no evidence to support its use in the treatment of cognitive dysfunction related to cancer or to support its having analgesic properties. Well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials are still needed to further elucidate the precise role of this drug in the care of patients with cancer. Specifically, large placebo-controlled trials with modafinil must be conducted in patients with cancer, with specific attention paid to pain control, depression, cognitive function, and adverse effects.
More Related Videos
07:02A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
Published on: February 11, 2019
11:27The Use of Pharmacological-challenge fMRI in Pre-clinical Research: Application to the 5-HT System
Published on: April 25, 2012
Related Concept Videos
CNS Stimulants: Psychedelic Agents
Stimulants
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids
Drug Regulation
Impact of Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Models: Regulatory Decisions