OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of modafinil on fatigue, symptoms, attention, 
working memory, and executive functioning in schizophrenia patients treated with 
psychotropic medications.
METHOD: Twenty-four patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or 
schizoaffective disorder (10 men and 14 women) were randomly assigned to 
modafinil up to 200 mg a day (N = 13) or placebo (N = 11) as an adjunct therapy 
in an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Data were collected from 
May 18, 2001 to September 11, 2003.
RESULTS: Four subjects terminated the study early, including one because of 
worsening of psychosis during the first week taking modafinil. In the modafinil 
(N = 10) and placebo (N = 10) groups, fatigue improved significantly over time 
(p < .01), but there were no differences between groups on changes in fatigue, 
positive and negative symptoms, or cognition.
CONCLUSION: Fatigue improved in both groups, and there were no differences 
between groups on changes in fatigue, symptoms, attention, working memory, or 
executive functioning. Lack of differences between groups may be due to small 
sample size or possible regression to the mean in the placebo group.