The drug modafinil, which was developed to treat narcolepsy (excessive sleeping), appears to enhance some cognitive functions according to a new randomized double-blind study published in Neuropsychopharmacology.

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“An essential function of executive processes is the cognitive control of interferences by distracting and conflicting information to facilitate goal-directed behavior in everyday life,” said study author Benjamin Becker, a professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and member of the neuSCAN Lab.