A single dose of armodafinil significantly promotes vigilance 11 hours post-dose.

Objective: This study was conducted to test the ability of armodafinil to promote vigilance among air traffic control operators 8 to 11 hours post-dose.

Methods: Forty-eight U.S. Naval air traffic control students were assigned to one of two groups, 150 mg dose of armodafinil or placebo. At 8:00 a.m., participants were administered armodafinil or a placebo, after which they completed a standard work day. Participants returned at 3:45 p.m. to complete the 4-hour performance portion of the study, where they performed the psychomotor vigilance task.

Results: The analysis showed a significant difference in vigilance between the armodafinil group and placebo (p < 0.05). Psychomotor vigilance task data revealed that participants receiving a 150 mg dose of armodafinil experienced significantly fewer lapses of attention compared to the control group.

Conclusions: These results justify additional investigation into the efficacy of armodafinil to promote sustained vigilance in military operational settings where fatigue-related performance decrements are especially problematic.