Effects of modafinil on heat thermoregulatory responses in humans at rest

The effects of modafinil on heat thermoregulatory responses were studied in 10 male subjects submitted to a sweating test after taking 200 mg of modafinil or placebo. Sweating tests were performed in a hot climatic chamber (45 degrees C, relative humidity <15%, wind speed = 0.8 m x s(-1), duration 1.5 h). Body temperatures (rectal (Tre) and 10 skin temperatures (Tsk)), sweat rate, and metabolic heat production (M) were studied as well as heart rate (HR). Results showed that modafinil induced at the end of the sweating test higher body temperatures increases (0.50 +/- 0.04 versus 0.24 +/- 0.05 degrees C (P < 0.01) for deltaTre and 3.64 +/- 0.16 versus 3.32 +/- 0.16 degrees C (P < 0.05) for deltaTsk (mean skin temperature)) and a decrease in sweating rate throughout the heat exposure (P < 0.05) without change in M, leading to a higher body heat storage (P < 0.05). AHR was also increased, especially at the end of the sweating test (17.95 +/- 1.49 versus 12.52 +/- 1.24 beats/min (P < 0.01)). In conclusion, modafinil induced a slight hyperthermic effect during passive dry heat exposure related to a lower sweat rate, probably by its action on the central nervous system, and this could impair heat tolerance.