Modafinil For Depression

In this article we’ll look at whether Modafinil can be beneficial for people who are suffering with depression.

More than 15 million persons in the United States suffer with depression, making it a fairly common condition. In addition, depression is the main contributor to disability among Americans between the ages of 15 and 44.

The majority of people with depression can recover with help and support. Your recuperation time can be greatly influenced by your diet and level of physical exercise, both of which can also enhance your general health.

Numerous organizations provide counseling, support groups, and other options that may be helpful in treating depression. To prevent isolating yourself, it’s crucial that you make an effort to engage in social activities.

But how about Modafinil? Some research suggests that Modafinil could provide an aid in battling depression. This is what we’ll talk about in this article.

Note: Do not take this as health advice. If you’re experiencing depression, seek medical advice from a professional.  

What is Modafinil?

Modafinil is an FDA-approved medication that promotes wakefulness. Some people use it off-label to help them focus and concentrate better, get more done in the day, and even lose weight.

It is also used off-label to help promote wakefulness in adults suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to improve attention, memory, and mood in people with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Modafinil is a controlled substance. It is sold online as a “dietary supplement” or in pharmacies under the brand name Provigil.

Modafinil Off-label Nootropic

Modafinil is a prescription nootropic generally used as a treatment for narcolepsy. However, it has also been found to be effective in reducing fatigue and increasing executive function skills. Some of the benefits that one might experience when taking Modafinil might include:

• An increase in focus
• Improvement in long-term memory
• Increased cognitive functions such as planning
• Improved feelings of fatigue

Modafinil Side Effects

Modafinil is generally well-tolerated but there are some potential side-effects. These are:

• headache,
• dizziness,
• upper respiratory tract infection,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• nervousness,
• anxiety,
• agitation,
• dry mouth, and
• trouble sleeping (insomnia).

Modafinil For Depression

There hasn’t been a great deal of research made regarding Modafinil as a treatment for depression. However, the research and studies they have done sound very promising.

Modafinil treatment in patients with seasonal affective disorder/winter depression

A clinical trial made in 2004 suggests Modafinil to be a beneficial treatment for seasonal affective disorder/winter depression.

Hypersomnia is a cardinal symptom of seasonal affective disorder/winter depression. This open-label pilot study assessed modafinil as treatment for seasonal affective disorder/winter depression.

Dosage

All individuals received a 100 mg modafinil daily dose in week 1 and either a 100 mg or 200 mg split dose (weeks 2-8). The Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGI-C), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Seasonal Affective Disorder Version (SIGH-SAD), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were used in the effectiveness assessments (weeks 1, 2, 5, and 8). (ESS).

Results

There were 13 patients (11 women; average age, 41 years) who were enrolled, 12 of whom could be evaluated for efficacy (100 mg dose, five patients; 200 mg dose, seven patients), and nine of them finished the course of therapy. As evidenced by decreases from baseline in mean SIGH-SAD at weeks 1 through 8 (P 0.00 for weeks 2-8) and MADRS total scores from weeks 2 through 8 (P 0.0 for all), modafinil dramatically reduced winter depression. At week 8, the mean MADRS total score was 13.3, while the mean SIGH-SAD total score was 17.1 (vs 37.2 at baseline, P0.001). Modafinil significantly improved overall clinical condition at all time points (P<0.001).  On the SIGH-SAD (29 item), HAM-D (21 item), and MADRS, the response rate was 67%, and on eight atypical SIGH-SAD items, it was 100%. From weeks two through eight, modafinil significantly decreased fatigue (FSS) and increased wakefulness (ESS) (P 0.01). Modafinil was well tolerated.

Modafinil as an adjunctive treatment of major depression study

Another study made in 2004 suggested Modafinil as a treatment for major depression.  This study set out to look into the efficacy of modafinil as an additional treatment for depressed people. Participants had to have a history of significant depression with partial response while taking an antidepressant at a stable therapeutic dose. On clinical evaluation, every participant confirmed complaints of considerable weariness and/or excessive sleepiness. Their current regimen was supplemented with modafinil for 4 weeks at a dose of 100 to 400 mg/d. Standard depression scales (HDRS, BDI, CGI), fatigue scales (VASF, FSI), and a neuropsychological battery were used to evaluate subjects every two weeks for improvement. 35 participants were enrolled, and 31 of them finished the four-week trial.

Results

All three measures of depression (HDRS, BDI, CGIS), as well as both measures of fatigue, experienced significant improvements (VASF, FSI). While the other cognitive tests on the neurocognitive battery showed no change after 4 weeks, there were significant improvements in the Stroop Interference Test. When used in conjunction with traditional antidepressants for the treatment of serious depression, modafinil may be effective and well-tolerated.

University of Cambridge Study 

In a publication released in 2016, University of Cambridge researchers highlighted cognition as a target for depression treatment.  Impaired memory has an association with poorer clinical outcomes. These include challenges at work and an increased probability of relapse.

Depression can sometimes lead to ‘presenteeism’: being present at one’s place of work for more hours than required.  This is because individuals who are treating their depression and going back to work might not be able to perform their jobs as well as before. Given that presenteeism itself has detrimental effects on mental health, this could start a vicious cycle. According to this study, patients who received Modafinil had better memory than those who received a placebo. Both working memory and episodic memory (remembering what you had for breakfast, for example) improved (i.e. recalling the steps of a recipe while cooking a meal). The “results are quite promising,” according to lead author Dr. Muzaffer Kaser. Modafinil, he added that Modafinil “may be a feasible option to treat persistent cognitive difficulties in depression.” But further research is need to fully understand how modafinil affects depression over the long run.

Is Modafinil beneficial as a treatment for depression?

It sure seems like it might work. The research shows that modafinil is effective in treating both depressive symptoms and other associated symptoms of depression, including exhaustion, cognitive dysfunction, decision-making difficulties, and so on.  However, there hasn’t been enough research to say for sure how well Modafinil works as a treatment for depression. Hopefully with time, more studies and trials will be made. However, If you do happen to suffer from depression please seek medical advice