Saturday, May 30, 2009

Modafinil: An alternative treatment for ADHD and comorbid substance abuse?

Can Modafinil (Provigil) Replace Stimulant Medications in Adult ADHD where stimulant drug abuse is a concern?

It is a Catch-22 of the ADHD world. An individual is suffering from severe ADHD symptoms and appropriate stimulant medications may help remedy some of the negative side effects of the disorder. However, due to the high prevalence of substance abuse in ADHD (some officials put the rate of comorbid substance abuse as high as to 30% in the ADHD population), including stimulant medications such as amphetamines, treatment of ADHD symptoms via stimulant medications cannot, by nature of the comorbid substance abuse disorder, be a treatment option.

The appearance of (relatively) novel non-stimulant medication alternatives such as Strattera (atomoxetine), have offered individuals with ADHD another treatment alternative. However, the results are often mixed. Strattera often works well with the inattentive-dominated forms of the disorder, but the positive results are often not as pronounced for the more hyperactive or impulsive forms of ADHD, especially if comorbid disorders such as conduct-related issues surface.

Another alternative may be a completely different type of drug, which, while not a stimulant in its own right, can act on or exhibit pseudo-stimulant properties. It appears that in at least some cases, Modafinil (Provigil) may be the type of drug we're looking for in these cases.

**Blogger's note: The extent of the study highlighting this case for Modafinil treatment for ADHD and comorbid amphetamine abuse is intended for adult treatment only. Given the relative scarcity of research on medication options for adult ADHD symptoms (compared to those designed more for children), this post is designed for offering a possible treatment alternative for ADHD in adults. Nevertheless, some recent studies have shown promising results of Modafinil as an ADHD treatment method for children and adolescents.

It is important to note, that while not initially designed as an ADHD-specific medication (and not a stimulant in its own right), Modafinil does share at least some degree of overlap with several stimulant agents for ADHD treatment. One is its regulation of catecholamines (important neuro-signaling chemical agents, whose balance in and out of neuronal cells is crucially important for regulating attention, hyperactive and impulsive behaviors, and locomotor control). As far as its mode of action and metabolism (clinical pharmacokinetics of Modafinil) are concerned, drug-drug interactions between Modafinil and several ADHD stimulant medications such as methylphenidate or dexamphetamine (Dexedrine) appear to be limited.

A background note on addiction potentials of ADHD drugs: This section is an aside, and is meant to serve as some background information and to clear up potential confusion surrounding ADHD medications and their addiction potentials. The next four paragraphs may be skipped if you are pressed for time.

While I cannot stress enough the importance of regulating neuro-chemical balance for both the onset of ADHD as well as drug addiction (which are affected by pharmacological agents such as ADHD medications, in varying forms), it is the rate of action for which these chemical changes take place which typically drives a particular drug's addiction potential.

Unfortunately, this last fact is often lost in much of the literature surrounding ADHD treatment (especially those which promote non-pharmaceutical treatments for the disorder). For example, many "natural" ADHD treatment books and websites frequently start out by asserting (erroneously) that methylphenidate is the equivalent of crack cocaine, and promotes later drug abuse and addiction.

While this blogger is a personal advocate for natural approaches to treating ADHD whenever possible (and without compromising overall treatment effectiveness in ADHD treatment), he wants to make it clear that significant differences do exist between ADHD medications and stimulant street drugs. One of the most telling signs of this is the rate of uptake and clearance of drug-like agents into and out of the brain, respectively. In general, the quicker a substance is taken up into the central nervous system and the faster it clears the brain, the more likely this chemical agent will elicit a "high" and an increased tendency towards substance dependence.

ADHD medications like Ritalin, while having some degree of overlap in structure and net effects of action as cocaine, are specifically designed to have a much slower rate of release and clearance, significantly reducing their abuse potential compared to cocaine. We have previously discussed Ritalin (methylphenidate) vs. cocaine addiction potentials in earlier posts.


Modafinil: Modes of action and addiction potential:


The reason I am providing all of this information is the fact that the successful regulation and softening of rapid spikes and clearances of chemical peaks is a crucial component to curbing the drug addiction process. It is believed that modafinil may work so well at reducing drug cravings by targeting this very mechanism. Unlike many stimulant medications which can produce some type of "high" (especially if abused by snorting or injection, or taken at abnormally high doses), Modafinil has a low abuse potential, and offers several other advantages over methylphenidate.

Modafinil does have a relatively positive track record for mitigating substance abuse disorders. For example, the administration of Modafinil can attenuate cocaine dependence. In contrast, methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Daytrana), while being very effective as an ADHD treatment, does little to curb comorbid substance abuse disorders in ADHD patients. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of Modafinil on treating comorbid substance abuse disorders in individuals with ADHD may be limited to specific drugs. For example similar positive effects of Modafinil on nicotine dependence appear to be less pronounced.

Modafinil may also offer advantages over traditional stimulants as well. As a cognitive enhancement type of pharmacological agent, modafinil may be useful in improving the work performance of adults with ADHD by improving short-term memory and visual recall, impulse control, and spatial skills (all of which are frequent deficits in children and adults with ADHD). Additionally, similar improvements were seen in individuals with schizophrenia, suggesting the diversity of modafinil's range of performance in cognitive improvement. These improvements are typically not seen in individuals unaffected by psychological disorders, further supporting the evidence that modafinil is less likely to be abused recreationally in the general population.

The potential implications of modafinil for ADHD treatment may be further reaching than the details outlined in the original article (and basis of this post, highlighting the effects of modafinil on amphetamine abuse in adult ADHD). For example, modafinil, as a vigilance-promoting medication, can offset an afternoon dip in arousal state (which has implications on many of the shorter-acting stimulant medications, which begin to wear off around this time). This may be useful for individuals with sleep disorders (which are common in ADHD), as well as regulating circadian rhythms. In a post earlier this month, we investigated the relationship between ADHD and seasonal affective disorders, and hinted at the association between ADHD and disruption in circadian rhythms.


Potential future implications of Modafinil as an ADHD treatment alternative:


Additionally, while Modafinil may offer benefits for the whole ADHD spectrum, this blogger hypothesizes that it may be most useful for treating the inattentive subtype of the disorder. Some reasons for this are as follows:

  • Activity patterns and circadian rhythms may often be associated with ADHD subtype. For example, "morning people" with ADHD may have a tendency to fall into the more hyperactive/impulsive group, while "eveningness" is more of an inattentive ADHD trait, suggesting more of a disruption in the circadian rhythms of inattentive ADHD'ers.
  • Additionally, non-stimulants often have somewhat of a better track record with the inattentive subtype of ADHD compared to the more hyperactive/impulsive subtypes. The uses of the non-stimulant atomoxetine (Strattera), highlight this general trend. While atomoxetine treatments often result in drastic improvements in all ADHD subtypes, negative side effects are often less seen in the inattentive subtype.
  • Compared to stimulants, non-stimulant medications for ADHD often do a better job at not exacerbating comorbid disorders such as obsessive compulsive or anxiety disorders (which are often more common to the ADHD inattentive subtype). Additionally, Modafinil treatment can be useful in treating adults with ADHD and a history of mood disorders.
  • Modafinil offers advantages over methylphenidate as far as fewer side effects including appetite suppression, sleep disturbances and heart rate dysfunction (orthostatic tachycardia, which essentially is significant changes in heart rhythms based on postural changes, such as standing up quickly from a seated position).
  • Anecdotal evidence, as noted by the Modafinil and amphetamine abuse study mentioned earlier, also suggests that Modafinil may be a useful treatment method for "refractory" cases, or individuals who have consistently shown poor response to other treatment medications and interventionary measures.
  • Finally, it is important to note (and this was also touched on in the Modafinil and amphetamine abuse study), that Modafinil treatment may be better suited for the more "controlled" abusers of stimulants. In other words, better effects might be seen for adults who regularly take illegal stimulant drugs such as amphetamines as a conscious effort to "self-medicate" for their ADHD, as opposed to an out-of-control drug addict who craves the drugs on a non-scheduled basis.
Given the high propensity of comorbid disorders when deciding on treatment for ADHD, as well as practicality issues concerning the administration of medicinal agents for treatment of the disorder in adults, I see a fair amount of potential for Modafinil's "off-label" usage as a treatment alternative to stimulants in adults with ADHD.

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34 comments:

David said...

You're right in that differently controlled release is a significant difference between medical use of these medications and abuse.

But isn't the chemical structure of amphetamines like Adderall just that - amphetamine, and no different from what would on the street be called Speed?

Autism Mom Rising said...

Oh my goodness, thank you for this blog. I just found it and can't wait until I have a bit to go through it all.

I always say anyone interested in ADHD should keep up with Autism research, as the biomedical under-pinnings of these two conditions are quite similiar and there have been great strides in the biomedical treatment of Autism.

Since ADHD was a condition always covered by insurance the pharmaceutical industry got to work on medications right away. And since there was always medication, that's how far most parents have taken the treatment of their child's ADHD. However, Autism has always been and largely remains not covered by insurance, so there are no medications. As a result parents, and a few hundred doctors over the last 30 years, have made significant strides in treating the root causes of Autism.

What a lot of people do not realize is that many of the biomedical interventions that work on people with Autism are can also be helpful to those with ADHD. Having an autistic son and ADHD myself I have tried these and am astouded by the results. My new ADHD blog will be dedicated to raising awareness about this
(satellitecognition.blogspot.com. If that link does not work try going to my original blog autismmomrising.blogspot.com and click on "view my complete profile" and there will be a direct link there.

Anonymous said...

Wonderfully complete description of the pros and cons of Provigil!!

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I just wish that thing can really help treat ADHD. We all know that there is lots of medicine in the market that promises that can treat that problem. I will keep an eye on this new alternative treatment for ADHD.

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The chap is completely right, and there's no skepticism.

Adult ADHD treatment said...

Treatment of ADHD usually involves medication, either stimulant (such as Dexedrine or methyphenidate) or non-stimulant (such as amoxetine). We also offer ADHD coaching and cognitive therapy.

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Unknown said...

"However, due to the high prevalence of substance abuse in ADHD (some officials put the rate of comorbid substance abuse as high as to 30% in the ADHD population), including stimulant medications such as amphetamines, treatment of ADHD symptoms via stimulant medications cannot, by nature of the comorbid substance abuse disorder, be a treatment option."

There is an enormous volume of research literature which totally refutes this notion. It is a disservice to those with ADHD to suggest this, as it is completely untrue, it stigmatizes ADHD sufferers, and makes it more difficult for us to receive the medications that are most effective in treating this condition.

I happen to now live in a country where I cannot obtain Adderall or any other type of amphetamine medication (which I had been using successfully for years), so I've been forced to try to adapt with other medications, none of which have worked for me at all (at least up until now; I just started using Modafinil, and while it is not as effective as Adderall, it is the first non-amphetamine medication that has worked for me even slightly).

(Methylphenidate is available here, but amazingly, it puts me to sleep.)

I'm sure you can find many reliable, research-backed sources by leading ADHD researchers which show that when it comes to comorbid substance abuse, the exact opposite of the quoted passage is true, and that in fact, once ADHD is diagnosed and treated, the incidence of substance abuse declines.

If you have trouble locating this information, I will be happy to do some searching and provide it for you.

I commend you for putting together this blog, and I appreciate the information as well as the tome and effort it takes to maintain a project like this.

But please, do some more research on this widely held and erroneous notion that ADHD patients under treatment are at risk for substance abuse. Methylphenidate and Amphetamines are far and away the most effective treatment for ADHD (and I've tried almost every lesser treatment that's ever been considered and they are largely worthless).

Despite the massive amount of education about ADHD in the past 10 years, because of statements such as the one quoted in the first paragraph here, many doctors delay for months -- or refuse completely -- to prescribe these medications that are essential in most cases for truly managing the symptoms of ADHD.

If you suffer from ADHD, treatment with the proper medication can change your life.

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matt c. said...

I know this was written awhile back, but I find the info posted here helpful. I take adderall, and I have taken ritalin and strattera in the past. Strattera effects me big time, to such a degree that I had to stop taking it. If I took a 10mg pill right now, which is a small dose, I would be tingling all over in 20 minutes. And after a few days would be calm as can be. I am also an evening person. From what I read here, Modanifil might be good to try. Adderall works for me, even at a small dosage, but I think I could perform at a higher level with something else. There is also a natural supplement that is supposed to be related to modanifil, adrafinil, and I might just try that first before asking my psych to change my meds.

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