Modafinil effects on cognitive function in HIV+ patients treated for fatigue: A placebo controlled study

Abstract

Both mild cognitive impairment and fatigue are common among people with HIV/AIDS. This study examined the efficacy of modafinil for HIV+ patients who sought treatment for fatigue in a placebo-controlled double-blind 4‐week trial. A battery of standard neuropsychological tests was administered at study entry and Week 4, and change in performance was compared for 59 patients receiving modafinil versus 44 patients receiving placebo. A significant effect on fatigue was observed. In addition, cognitive performance, as measured by a global change score, improved more in the modafinil than in the placebo group although the effect was not specific to any cognitive domain.

Keywords:

• Modafinil
• Cognition
• HIV
• Fatigue
• Clinical trial

This work was partially supported by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grant R01 MH072383 (J.R.). During the 3rd and 4th years of this study, modafinil and matching placebo were provided by Cephalon, Inc. The authors report no financial affiliations or other relationships relevant to the subject of this article.