Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...

The Influence of Affect on Cognition

The Influence of Affect on Cognition

Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...

CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids

CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids

CNS stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabinoids, have varying structures and mechanisms of action that lead to different therapeutic effects and side effects. Cocaine, with its molecular formula C17H21NO4, is a tropane alkaloid and a tertiary amino compound. It has two chemical forms: the hydrochloride salt and the "freebase." The former is in powder form, while the latter involves removing the hydrochloride salt to create a form that can be smoked. Cocaine exerts its effects by...

CNS Stimulants: Psychedelic Agents

CNS Stimulants: Psychedelic Agents

Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelic drugs, are a class of substances known for their ability to alter perception, cognition, and emotions. Despite their profound effects on the mind, these drugs are non-addictive, setting them apart from many other abused substances. The mechanism of action of these drugs lies in their impact on the 5-HT2A receptor in the brain. Upon activation, this receptor couples to Gq-type G proteins, triggering a cascade that releases intracellular calcium. This...

Cognitivism

Cognitivism

Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Identifying and Managing Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity Treatment: Current Practices in Weight Management Programs throughout the United States.

Childhood obesity (Print)·2026

Same author

Food access relates to loss of control eating in adolescents with cardiometabolic conditions: Exploration of week-to-week variation.

Journal of health psychology·2025

Same author

Longitudinal Links between Changes in Body Composition and Liver Disease Severity in Children and Adolescents with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

The Journal of pediatrics·2024

Same author

Investigating iRHOM2-Associated Transcriptional Changes in Tylosis With Esophageal Cancer.

Gastro hep advances·2024

Same author

Limitations associated with transcranial direct current stimulation for enhancement: considerations of performance tradeoffs in active-duty Soldiers.

Frontiers in human neuroscience·2024

Same author

Health markers, depressive symptoms, and community deprivation in a type 2 diabetes multidisciplinary care clinic for youth.

Clinical diabetes and endocrinology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

Cognition enhancement by modafinil: a meta-analysis.

Amanda M Kelley¹, Catherine M Webb, Jeremy R Athy

¹U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, Fort Rucker, AL 36362-0577, USA. amanda.m.kelley@us.army.mil

Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine

|July 12, 2012

Summary

This study found limited evidence for modafinil enhancing cognitive function in healthy adults. More research is needed to understand the effects of cognition-enhancing drugs for military use.

More Related Videos

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Military Medicine

Background:

Pharmaceuticals offer potential for cognitive enhancement, with some considered for military applications.
Drugs like modafinil, caffeine, and dextroamphetamine are studied for cognition and sleep regulation in military contexts.
Military appropriateness requires robust research, including randomized controlled trials.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct a meta-analysis summarizing current knowledge on cognition-enhancing drugs for military research.
To identify research gaps regarding the efficacy and safety of these pharmaceuticals.

Main Methods:

A meta-analysis was performed on studies meeting military research inclusion criteria.
Literature review focused on pharmaceuticals with potential cognitive enhancement properties.

Main Results:

Only three studies met the inclusion criteria, all examining modafinil.
The meta-analysis indicated a weak pooled effect of modafinil on cognitive performance in rested adults.
A significant gap exists in research evaluating these drugs' enhancement properties.

Conclusions:

Modafinil shows some efficacy, but evidence is limited.
A substantial literature gap remains concerning the short- and long-term effects of these drugs in healthy adults.
Further research is crucial for military applications of cognition-enhancing drugs.