Table of contents:
- What is modafinil?
- Modafinil can improve cognitive function of the brain
- However, do not carelessly use modafinil
When you are sleepy or have trouble focusing at work, you may seek help to keep your brain working properly. For example, exercising so that the body is refreshed, drinking coffee that contains caffeine, or drinking energy drinks that also contain caffeine. However, it turns out that there is also a drug that can encourage the work of the brain to stay focused, namely modafinil.
What is modafinil?
Modafinil is actually a drug to treat sleep disorders or excessive drowsiness caused by narcolepsy (a condition that causes unbearable drowsiness regardless of time and place). This medication can also prevent excessive drowsiness caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Because it cannot be used carelessly, this drug can only be obtained by prescription.
This drug works by changing the amount of certain chemicals in the part of the brain that control sleep and wakefulness. This can keep narcolepsy sufferers awake, so they don't sleep at any time and place.
Modafinil can improve cognitive function of the brain
Reporting from The Guardian, Professor Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge explained that modafinil acts on several neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that deliver command signals between cells in the brain. Some of the neurotransmitters whose action this drug can affect are:
- Dopamine which can make you more alert and easier to remember.
- Norepinephrine which makes you more alert and focused.
- Histamine which can keep you awake.
- Glutamate which can increase short-term memory by 10 percent.
With this way of working, it's no wonder that modafinil can improve memory, learning ability, and motivation in the short term, in addition to helping to overcome sleep disorders.
A study has also been conducted to see how this drug might affect its users. Research conducted by Oxford and Harvard Medical School shows that modafinil can aid in decision making, planning, flexibility in learning, memory, and creativity.
However, do not carelessly use modafinil
Many people may be interested in using modafinil to improve brain function. By using this drug, drowsiness can be lost and the brain refocuses on work. But unfortunately, the use of this drug can be abused.
People who buy it without a doctor's prescription, such as over the internet, may not know what they are actually buying, it may not be modafinil or it may have been mixed with other drugs. This is because they get the drug from a reliable source. This is certainly not safe.
Although it can improve brain function in the short term, this drug also has side effects such as insomnia, headaches, and digestive problems. This drug also has long-term effects on brain development. Research conducted by Sahakian shows that prolonged use of modafinil can potentially damage your sleep patterns, not actually improve your sleep patterns. In addition, prolonged use may also damage your memory.
In fact, a study conducted by Dr. Nora Volkow and colleagues in 2010 reported that a dose of 400 milligrams (mg) has an effect in a part of the brain known to be involved in substance abuse and dependence. Therefore, you should use modafinil with caution as prescribed by a doctor.
