Narcolepsy Drug May Treat Cocaine Addiction

In a small study of cocaine addicts, researchers found that the drug modafinil, which commonly treats narcolepsy, effectively curbs cravings, thus helping cocaine users abstain from cocaine use. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center treated 30 cocaine addicts with modafinil and 32 addicts with a placebo for 8 weeks. They found that the modafinil group was more likely to last for long periods of time without using cocaine, as evidenced by cocaine-negative urine samples. There were no reported side effects, and none of the participants dropped out of the study due to adverse reactions. The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Ms. Farley is a freelance medical writer based in Wakefield, RI.