Psychotherapy and social support can help ease the challenges of living with a potentially disabling illness.īeyond these standard treatments, additional treatments focus on managing symptoms. People with Parkinson’s may also have a better quality of life with physical and exercise therapy. The most well-known benefit of modafinil is that it may reduce the side effects of dopaminergic drugs, especially the sleepiness they tend to cause. In young people, a doctor may recommend a different dopaminergic drug. In most cases, a doctor will prescribe levodopa. Modafinil could offer additional benefits for people using the drug to manage this condition, though it is not a substitute for standard treatments.ĭopaminergic drugs support dopamine functioning in the brain and body and are the main treatment for Parkinson’s. The data on modafinil and Parkinson’s are not conclusive, but they suggest that future research might find more specific benefits in humans. For example, a 2020 study of mice found that the drug may promote more dopamine in the brain, reduce inflammation, and prevent neurological damage. In animal models of brain inflammation similar to that which occurs with Parkinson’s, modafinil has helped reduce or reverse the inflammation. Researchers have not yet found a way to reverse this process, but drugs that reverse inflammation or promote dopamine level increases could one day treat Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s causes brain inflammation and damage to neurons that produce dopamine. However, newer studies suggest that it might offer benefits beyond merely reducing sleepiness. Modafinil does not treat other Parkinson’s symptoms, such as tremors, constipation, and neurological issues. Some also experience a heightened sense of focus on the drug, which can help reduce the side effects of Parkinson’s treatments. Some people experience sleep attacks, during which they suddenly feel intensely tired or even fall asleep.īecause modafinil is a stimulant, it can help people feel more awake and alert. However, Parkinson’s disease drugs may cause daytime sleepiness. These dopaminergic drugs may slow the progression of the disease for 3–6 years. Doctors typically recommend medications that increase dopamine levels to treat Parkinson’s.
0 kommentar(er)
