Modafinil induces wakefulness, but its dopamine-releasing action in the nucleus accumbens is weak and dose-dependent; no likelihood of euphoric response ('abuse potential').
Even the lowest dose of modafinil, an ampakine, improved the wakefulness and cognitive performance of sleep-deprived people; they work in part by boosting glutamate, a key neurotransmitter that facilitates learning & learn and encodes memory.
A recent study found people who took levodopa were 95% more likely to choose symbols associated with higher monetary gains than those who took haloperidol. As a result, the levodopa group won more money, but they did not lose less money. "The results show