0X717 is being tested as a medication that can generate a state of cortical wakefulness without stimulation. On a test of sustained attention, effects kicked in within an hour of taking the medication and crucially, the subjects suffered none of the jitteriness that comes with caffeine or amphetamines.

0X717 is still in the development stage. It reportedly works by boosting the activity of a key neurotransmitter that makes it easier to learn and encode memory Julia Boyle at the University of Surrey, UK, and her colleague have now shown. It's effect on performance of a number of tasks has been impressive. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one such application the researchers are hoping may benefit from this development.