Students needed for a 60 minute study to assess the efficacy of modafinil

Recent figures (from an informal survey run by a student newspaper) show that around a fifth of students in the UK have used prescription only concentration enhancing drugs (also called "smart pills") like Modafinil to help them with their exam preparation. But Modafinil has been approved for treatment of patients with narcolepsy only and little is known about its efficacy and safety in a student population.

The purpose of the study is therefore to examine whether:

• students who receive Modafinil show increased performance in concentration and memory tasks compared to students who receive placebo or no drug.
• students who receive Modafinil experience more averse symptoms than students who receive placebo or no drug.

You will also be awarded £10 for your participation.

What does the study involve?

If you agree to participate in this study you will first complete a series of rating scales. There are no right or wrong answers. We are only interested in your personal view about various topics (e.g. previous experience with medicine, symptoms, etc.). It will take around 15 minutes to complete these rating scales. We will then take baseline measures of your heart rate. In order to take this measure 2 electrodes will be applied to your upper body.

The computer will then randomise you to one of the three arms of the trial:

• Modafinil arm: Participants in this arm will receive a 200mg tablet of modafinil
• Placebo arm: Participants in this arm will receive a dummy pill which looks like modafinil but does not contain any pharmacologically active substance (i.e. sucrose).
• Natural history arm: Participants in this arm will receive no substance

After taking the allocated pill (Modafinil and Placebo arm only) all trial participants will complete a series of validated concentration, memory and reaction time tasks. It will take around 30 minutes to complete these tasks. Heart rate will be monitored throughout the study. You will also answer questions about symptoms (if any) you experienced during the study the complete some short demographic questions.

The study will last approximately an hour and a half and take place at the UCL School of Pharmacy building, Brunswick Square.

For a chance to earn £10 and be a part of this exciting study, or if you have any further questions please contact me by email: monika.heller.12@ucl.ac.uk

This study is conducted by Monika Heller as part of her PhD at the School of Pharmacy, UCL, supervised by Dr. Sarah Chapman (s.chapman@ucl.ac.uk). The study has been approved by the UCL research ethics committee, project ID Number: 4716/002. All data will be collected and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.