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Does Modafinil Help Your Memory?

Modafinil helps people do many things, improves many mental tasks, and has found use as a “study drug”; for students preparing for exams. Does it actually improve your memory?

A clinical trial conducted in Germany concluded that Modafinil had a “subtle” benefit in improving memory. Neither scientific tests nor anecdotes from users have indicated a major improvement in memory. The drug helps people concentrate and stay on task, which is why it is useful for studying, but it apparently doesn’t directly affect the physiology of memory when people are not sleep deprived. A study with rats given large doses of modafinil found the drug improved short-term memory but had no effect on long-term memory. For people without enough sleep, however, or people with poor memories, the impact on memory improvement is stronger. Improvement is strongest in short-term verbal memory span, with trends towards improved visual memory and spatial planning.

Studies have shown that Modafinil does not have the same anxiogenic effects of dexamphetamine. It doesn’t cause the same anxiety.

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