This sleep disorder drug can be helpful for obese people – Read

Scientists have managed to find a sleep disorder drug that can prove helpful for people struggling with obesity.

New Delhi: Scientists have managed to find a sleep disorder drug that can prove helpful for people struggling with obesity.

The study has found that impulsive behaviour is a factor in leading to food addiction and a drug called Modafinil-- usually used for narcolepsy -- shift work disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness-- can reduce impulsivity and thus food addiction.

"We found Modafinil, which is already in the market, did reduce people`s impulsive behaviour," said study author Ivo Vlaev from Warwick Business School in London."It has been shown to reduce impulsiveness in a variety of disorders such as alcohol dependence, schizophrenia and ADHD.

Food addicts suffer from the same neurobiological conditions, so we believe that it will help food addicts as well and our initial tests have backed up that theory," he added.

They conducted a series of trials on 60 men aged between 19 and 32, with 20 taking a placebo, 20 Atomoxetine and 20 Modafinil.The tests revealed that those, who had taken Modafinil had a significantly reduced level of impulsiveness, whereas Atomoxetine produced no difference compared to the placebo group.