Neuroprotective role of modafinil against methamphetamine toxicity

V. BISAGNO

Little Rock

Exposición; Distinguished Lecture Series; 2012

CTN, UAMS

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that might induce neurotoxicity. Clinical trials have reported that modafinil, a wake-promoting agent used to treat sleep disorders, may have some efficacy for the treatment of psychostimulant addiction. In our laboratory we tested possible neuroprotective effects of modafinil after toxic METH administration in mice. Our results that modafinil might have a protective role against METH acute striatal toxicity.  Also, Modafinil have shown promising results in enhancing cognitive performance on METH addicts suggesting that it may serve not only to decrease stimulant intake by addicts but also it might have a role as a cognitive enhancer in a group of stimulant abusers. This data could have a clinical impact on METH abuse pharmacotherapy since future clinical studies might find modafinil useful as an adjuvant medication. Further studies will be required in order to investigate whether modafinil is also capable of preventing METH long-term toxic effects on dopaminergic markers and also potential restorative effects of modafinil on cognitive functions altered by methamphetamine.