Study of the addictive potential of modafinil in naive and cocaine-experienced rats.
Psychopharmacology. 2002-06-01; 161(4): 387-395
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-002-1080-8
Read on PubMed
RATIONALE: Modafinil is a drug that promotes wakefulness and, as such, is used to
treat hypersomnia and narcolepsy. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that
modafinil could possess weak reinforcing effects in drug-experienced subjects.
However, its abuse potential in drug-naive healthy individuals is still totally
uninvestigated, despite the fact that availability of modafinil has recently
increased.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to investigate the potential addictive
properties of modafinil by testing its reinforcing effects in naive rats. The
interactions of modafinil with the reinforcing effects of cocaine were also
tested.
METHODS: First, using i.v. self-administration and place conditioning tests, we
studied the reinforcing and rewarding effects of a large range of doses of
modafinil in naive rats. Second, we tested the influence of modafinil on
reinforcing and incentive effects of cocaine in rats trained for cocaine
self-administration. The effects of modafinil were compared with those of
amphetamine and haloperidol.
RESULTS: Modafinil did not produce reinforcing or rewarding effects and did not
modify the effects of cocaine.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that modafinil does not possess an addictive
potential in naive individuals. Furthermore, it would be behaviorally distinct
from classical central nervous system stimulants which are known to alter
cocaine-induced effects. However, as shown previously in nonhuman primates and in
humans, modafinil could possibly have reinforcing effects in cocaine-experienced
individuals.
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-002-1080-8
PMID: 12073166 [Indexed for MEDLINE]