MODAFINIL VS ADDERALL: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
SIMILARITIES
Modafinil and Adderall (amphetamine) are psychostimulants indicated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and sleep disorders arising from shift work (Steiner & Van Waes, 2013). Adderall and modafinil act on the norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and serotonin (5-HT) transporters significantly boosting the amount of extracellular monoamines in the central nervous system (Natarajan & Yamamoto, 2011). They reverse or inhibit the reuptake of these three neurotransmitters to achieve prolonged action. Transporter inhibition leads to the release of monoamine stores inside neurons that also amplify wakefulness, memory, and attention (Wood et al., 2013).