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Effects of caffeine on calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in frog skeletal muscle fibres.

1. Resting myoplasmic [Ca2+] and [Ca2+] transients (delta [Ca2+]) were monitored using Fura-2 fluorescence and Antipyrylazo III absorbance signals from voltage-clamped segments of cut frog skeletal muscle fibres in the presence and absence of 0.5 mM-caffeine. The rate of release (Rrel) of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum was calculated from delta [Ca2+]. 2. delta [Ca2+] and Rrel were increased in caffeine for all pulses. The decline of delta [Ca2+] was slower after a given pulse in caffeine than without caffeine. Resting [Ca2+] was slightly elevated in caffeine. 3. The voltage dependence of the peak value of Rrel and of the steady level of Rrel at the end of a 60-120 ms pulse were both shifted towards more negative voltages in caffeine. For relatively small pulses the voltage at which a given release waveform was observed was also shifted to more negative voltages. 4. Intramembrane charge movements measured in the same fibres in which the above changes in Rrel were observed showed no significant changes in caffeine. 5. In caffeine calcium release continued for many milliseconds after the end of a short (10 ms) pulse. Continued release after a pulse was not observed without caffeine and was probably due to positive feedback of elevated [Ca2+] on calcium release resulting from calcium-induced calcium release in caffeine. 6. Intramembrane charge movements after short pulses showed no change in caffeine that could account for the continued calcium release after the pulse. 7. Continued release after short pulses in caffeine decreased as the pulse duration was increased and was absent for pulses of 60 ms or longer. Rrel also inactivated during such pulses. 8. Relatively large and long conditioning pulses in caffeine suppressed both the peak Rrel and the continued release after short pulses. Peak release and continued release after short pulses recovered in parallel with increasing recovery time following suppression by a conditioning pulse in caffeine. 9. These results indicate that in the presence of caffeine, charge movement and calcium-induced calcium release both contribute significantly to the activation of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release during fibre depolarization. Release activated by either mechanism appears to be inactivated by calcium-dependent inactivation. A significant contribution of calcium-induced calcium release during depolarization in the absence of caffeine is not ruled out by present observations.

Animals↗

A mechanism for the effects of caffeine on Ca2+ release during diastole and systole in isolated rat ventricular myocytes.

1. The fluorescent indicator Indo-1 was used to measure both [Ca2+]i and [caffeine]i in single ventricular myocytes. 2. Caffeine (at concentrations of 1 mM or above) produced a transient increase of resting [Ca2+]i attributed to the release of Ca2+ ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Simultaneous measurement of [caffeine]i showed that the Ca2+ release only began when [caffeine]i had risen to about 1 mM. Subsequently the rate of release was a steep function of [caffeine]i. It is suggested that this results from a positive feedback as the Ca2+ released activates further release. 3. If external Ca2+ was removed the release of Ca2+ produced by caffeine was delayed such that [caffeine]i rose to a greater concentration before release was initiated. This suggests that an increase of [Ca2+]i increases the efficacy of caffeine to release Ca2+ ions from the SR. 4. Lower concentrations of caffeine (50-500 microM) had no effect on diastolic [Ca2+]i. In contrast they increased systolic [Ca2+]i and contraction. This increase was most obvious if the systolic contraction had previously been decreased either by reducing [Ca2+]o from 1 to 0.25 mM or (in voltage-clamped cells) by decreasing the magnitude of the depolarizing pulse. 5. If the exposure to caffeine was prolonged, this increase of systolic [Ca2+]i and contraction was completely transient. On removal of caffeine, systolic [Ca2+]i and contraction decreased to below control before recovering. 6. During these transient changes of systolic [Ca2+]i and contraction there was no change of the sarcolemmal Ca2+ current. 7. It is suggested that the increase of systolic [Ca2+]i is due to caffeine increasing the fraction of the SR Ca2+ content released during the twitch. 8. The above results concerning both diastolic and systolic [Ca2+]i can be explained by a model in which caffeine increases the affinity with which Ca2+ ions activate Ca2(+)-induced Ca2+ release. At high enough [caffeine], the threshold [Ca2+]i for regenerative Ca2(+)-induced Ca2+ release will be reduced to below the resting [Ca2+]i thus producing a diastolic increase of [Ca2+]i. At lower [caffeine] the threshold is higher than resting [Ca2+]i and caffeine only serves to enhance the release produced during systole.

Action Potentials↗

Effects of repeated doses of caffeine on mood and performance of alert and fatigued volunteers.

Evidence for behavioural effects of caffeine is well documented in the literature. It is associated with increased subjective alertness, improved reaction time and enhanced encoding of new information. These effects are most prominent in low arousal situations. However, there is an ongoing debate as to whether such changes are in fact improvements or merely a reversal of the negative effects of a period of caffeine withdrawal (e.g. overnight abstinence). To avoid such a confound this study included multiple doses of caffeine which were administered under double-blind conditions to participants who had ingested their normal daily quota of caffeine. In the present study participants were fatigued by carrying out a prolonged testing schedule in the evening. Sixty volunteers, all regular caffeine consumers, took part in the study. They attended for three sessions on separate days. They were instructed to consume normal amounts of caffeinated beverages. Consumption was measured by a diary and saliva samples were taken and caffeine assays conducted. A baseline test session was carried out at 18.00h and following this a double blind placebo controlled caffeine challenge (1.5mg/kg) conducted. The test battery was repeated twice approximately 30 minutes after the caffeine challenge. Following this another drink was administered and the test battery repeated twice more. On one test session volunteers had placebo in both drinks, in another they had caffeine in both drinks and another caffeine in the first and placebo in the second. Order of conditions was balanced across subjects. The results showed that caffeine led to a more positive mood and improved performance on a number of tasks. Different effects of caffeine were seen depending on the person's level of arousal. Linear effects of caffeine dose were also observed. This is evidence against the argument that behavioural changes due to caffeine are merely the reversal of negative effects of a long period of caffeine abstinence. The findings are discussed in relation to both noradrenergic and cholinergic neurotransmitter systems.

Adolescent↗

Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications.

Caffeine from dietary sources (mainly coffee, tea and soft drinks) is the most frequently and widely consumed CNS stimulant in the world today. Because of its enormous popularity, the consumption of caffeine is generally thought to be safe and long term caffeine intake may be disregarded as a medical problem. However, it is clear that this compound has many of the features usually associated with a drug of abuse. Furthermore, physicians should be aware of the possible contribution of dietary caffeine to the presenting signs and symptoms of patients. The toxic effects of caffeine are extensions of their pharmacological effects. The most serious caffeine-related CNS effects include seizures and delirium. Other symptoms affecting the cardiovascular system range from moderate increases in heart rate to more severe cardiac arrhythmia. Although tolerance develops to many of the pharmacological effects of caffeine, tolerance may be overwhelmed by the nonlinear accumulation of caffeine when its metabolism becomes saturated. This might occur with high levels of consumption or as the result of a pharmacokinetic interaction between caffeine and over-the-counter or prescription medications. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 participates in the metabolism of caffeine as well as of a number of clinically important drugs. A number of drugs, including certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (particularly fluvoxamine), antiarrhythmics (mexiletine), antipsychotics (clozapine), psoralens, idrocilamide and phenylpropanolamine, bronchodilators (furafylline and theophylline) and quinolones (enoxacin), have been reported to be potent inhibitors of this isoenzyme. This has important clinical implications, since drugs that are metabolised by, or bind to, the same CYP enzyme have a high potential for pharmacokinetic interactions due to inhibition of drug metabolism. Thus, pharmacokinetic interactions at the CYP1A2 enzyme level may cause toxic effects during concomitant administration of caffeine and certain drugs used for cardiovascular, CNS (an excessive dietary intake of caffeine has also been observed in psychiatric patients), gastrointestinal, infectious, respiratory and skin disorders. Unless a lack of interaction has already been demonstrated for the potentially interacting drug, dietary caffeine intake should be considered when planning, or assessing response to, drug therapy. Some of the reported interactions of caffeine, irrespective of clinical relevance, might inadvertently cause athletes to exceed the urinary caffeine concentration limit set by sports authorities at 12 mg/L. Finally, caffeine is a useful and reliable probe drug for the assessment of CYP1A2 activity, which is of considerable interest for metabolic studies in human populations.

Animals↗

Effect of transverse tubule-disruption on 14C-caffeine influx in frog skeletal muscle.

Effect of transverse tubule-disruption (T-disruption) on 14C-caffeine influx was studied using small bundles, consisting of 40 to 50 fibers, of frog semitendinosus muscle. The peak tension of caffeine contracture was inhibited by about 69% at 5 mM caffeine and by about 31% at 7 mM caffeine by T-disruption. In addition, the amount of caffeine influx in a small bundle was inhibited by about 52% at 5 mM caffeine and by about 28% at 7 mM caffeine by T-disruption, corresponding to the inhibition of the peak tension of caffeine contracture by T-disruption. These findings support our previous suggestion that caffeine enters the muscle fibers through the surface membrane and transverse tubuler membrane (T-membrane), and that the T-membrane contributes to the entry of caffeine more greatly at 5 mM caffeine than at 7 mM caffeine. Moreover, at 5 mM caffeine it was noted that there is a slight difference between the extent of inhibition of the caffeine influx and that of the peak contracture tension. From these results, it could be concluded that the inhibition of peak tension of caffeine contracture by T-disruption is mainly due to the inhibition of caffeine influx which occurs through the T-membrane and is partly due to the functional disturbance of the sarcoplasmic reticulum which is probably induced by T-disruption.

Animals↗

Reduction by caffeine of adriamycin-induced cell killing and DNA damage in Chinese hamster cells: correlation with modulation in intracellular adriamycin content.

The effect of caffeine, at concentrations between 10 microM and 20 mM was studied on Adriamycin-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in exponentially growing Chinese hamster V79 cells. Simultaneous administration of caffeine with 0.4 micrograms/ml (0.69 microM) Adriamycin for 1 h resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in cell killing. The surviving fraction increased from 0.001 for cells treated with Adriamycin alone to 0.14 for cells treated in the presence of 1 mM caffeine and to 0.8 for cells treated at caffeine concentrations higher than 6 mM. A significant reduction in Adriamycin-induced cell killing was also caused by caffeine at micromolar concentrations where the surviving fraction increased from 0.00076 to 0.0014 (2-fold) after treatment with 10 microM, to 0.0038 (5-fold) after treatment with 20 microM and to 0.01 (13-fold) after treatment with 100 microM caffeine. Treatment of cells with caffeine for 1 h immediately after Adriamycin exposure (0.4 micrograms/ml, 1 h) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in survival as well, but the effect was smaller than that observed after simultaneous administration (increase in the surviving fraction from 0.003 to about 0.05 at concentrations higher than 5 mM). The reduction of Adriamycin-induced cytotoxicity by caffeine was reflected by a decrease in the slope of the survival curve, and it was similar over the entire range of Adriamycin and caffeine concentrations examined. The ability of cells to accumulate Adriamycin was reduced by caffeine from 43 ng/10(6) cells after treatment for 1 h in the presence of 0.5 micrograms/ml Adriamycin to 16 ng/10(6) cells for cells treated in the presence of 2 mM and to 8 ng/10(6) cells for cells treated in the presence of 10 mM caffeine. Induction by Adriamycin of DNA breaks, as assayed by the alkaline filter elution technique, was linear with concentration and was decreased in the presence of caffeine. The response to caffeine of Adriamycin-induced killing and DNA damage was similar, and it was only slightly different from the modulation induced in intracellular Adriamycin content. Compared to the effect of caffeine on cells exposed to ionizing radiations or other cytotoxic compounds, the results indicate an entirely different mode of caffeine action with anthracyclines. In addition, the results suggest caffeine-induced modulations in intracellular drug accumulation as an important determinant for the effect and may have useful implications in the clinical application of these compounds.

Animals↗

Behavioral effects of nicotine, amphetamine and cocaine under a fixed-interval schedule of food reinforcement in rats chronically exposed to caffeine.

Epidemiological surveys demonstrate that caffeine, the main psychoactive ingredient of coffee, is a positive correlate in drug abuse. To characterize the behavioral nature of caffeine interactions with other psychomotor stimulants, we examined the effects of chronic caffeine exposure on the behavioral responses to nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine, the selective D1 agonist SKF-82958 and the selective D2 receptor agonist NPA, in rats responding under a fixed interval (FI) schedule of food reinforcement. Following stabilization of rates and temporal patterns of responding (mathematically expressed as quarter-life values, QL), twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats responding under a 5-min FI schedule of food reinforcement were divided into two groups; one (twelve rats) maintained on tap water (control) and the other (nine rats) on caffeine (3 mg/ml added to the drinking water). Following the substitution of caffeine solution for tap water, behavior was temporarily disrupted as evidenced by decreases in responding and QL values which reached a maximum after 72 h (rate 60% and QL 30% below baseline levels). Rats developed complete tolerance to these effects of caffeine over 5 days of caffeine exposure. After response rate and QL values stabilized, effects of drugs were evaluated. Nicotine (0.01-1.0 mg/kg; SC), amphetamine (0.1-5.6; IP), and cocaine (1.0-17; IP) each produced biphasic dose-dependent changes in response rate with maximum increases in response rate following intermediate doses and decreases in response rates following higher doses. The increase in rates of responding produced by amphetamine or cocaine (but not nicotine) were greater (P<0.05) in caffeine-drinking than in water-drinking rats. Both SKF-82958 (0.001-0.3 mg/kg; IP) and NPA (0.0001-0.1; IP) produced only dose-dependent decreases in rates of responding. Caffeine-drinking rats were less sensitive to the rate-depressant effects of SKF-82958 (P<0.05) than water-drinking rats. However, similar changes (P>0.05) were produced by NPA in both groups. Except for amphetamine, the remaining drugs produced similar (P>0.05) dose-dependent decreases in QL values in water- and caffeine-drinking rats. Amphetamine produced smaller decreases in QL values in caffeine-drinking rats than in water-drinking rats (P<0.05). Chronic exposure to caffeine produced complete insurmountable tolerance to the response-rate increasing (stimulant) effects of acute caffeine (3.0-17 mg/kg; IP) in caffeine-drinking rats. In conclusion, our study revealed that chronic caffeine exposure potentiates the behavioral response to amphetamine and cocaine but not to that of nicotine in rats responding under a FI schedule of food reinforcement. Thus, it is likely that these effects are mediated through different pharmacological mechanisms.

Amphetamine↗

Oral and intravenous caffeine for treatment of children with post-sedation paradoxical hyperactivity.

BACKGROUND: Paradoxical hyperactivity (PH) is a known complication of sedation in children, especially with barbiturates such as pentobarbital. The accompanying inconsolable irritability and agitation, similar to behaviors reported in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is uncomfortable for the child and anxiety-provoking for parents and health-care workers. Our objective was to describe our experience with oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) caffeine as a treatment for sedation-induced PH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2000 to April 2003, 19,894 children were sedated in our institution for radiology procedures. Of these, 360 children were diagnosed with PH. A total of 229 children exhibiting symptoms of PH after sedative administration were treated with PO caffeine ( n=88; 43 boys, 45 girls; mean age 4.5 years, mean weight 18.7 kg) or IV caffeine ( n=131; 73 boys, 58 girls; mean age 4.8 years, mean weight 20.1 kg) or both ( n=10; 8 boys, 2 girls; mean age 5.0 years, mean weight 19.9 kg). A positive effect was defined as a decrease in agitation, crying, or hyperactivity within 40 min of caffeine administration. A control group ( n=45) was obtained from those 141 children who experienced post-sedation PH but were not treated with caffeine, and matched for age and sex with samples of children treated with IV caffeine ( n=45) and PO caffeine ( n=45). RESULTS: Children treated intravenously received the equivalent of 20 mg/kg caffeine citrate (to a maximum of 200 mg). Of those treated with IV caffeine, 82/131 (63%) showed a positive effect, and returned to baseline behavioral status after an average of 33 min (SD=23 min). The untreated control group required a significantly longer time to recover ( P<0.01) than those treated with IV caffeine. Children treated orally received approximately 1.0-2.5 mg/kg caffeine in Mountain Dew (Pepsi-Cola Company), and 36/88 (41%) showed a positive effect and returned to baseline behavioral status after an average of 42 min (SD=27 min). Of the 10 children treated with both PO and IV caffeine, 6 showed a positive effect. There was no significant difference in recovery time between the untreated control group and either the matched orally treated group or the group treated with both IV and PO caffeine. No complications occurred after caffeine administration. CONCLUSION: IV caffeine appears to be an effective treatment for PH in children with sedation-induced PH. Further controlled prospective study is needed to determine the optimum dose and route of administration and to compare efficacy with other potential drug classes.

Administration, Oral↗

Effects of caffeine on intracellular calcium release and calcium influx in a clonal beta-cell line RINm5F.

We studied the effects of caffeine on intracellular calcium in a clonal insulin-secreting cell line RINm5F. Caffeine (1-30 mM) induced a dose-dependent intracellular Ca2+ release and Ca2+ influx. Pretreatment with combination of ryanodine (10 microM) and caffeine (10 mM), but not ryanodine alone, abolished subsequent caffeine-induced release of intracellular Ca2+. Pretreatment with another ryanodine receptor blocker procaine (0.1, 0.3, and 1mM) antagonized the caffeine-induced release of intracellular Ca2+. Pretreatment with thapsigargin (2 microM), the endoplasmic reticular Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor, abolished both the caffeine- and arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced Ca2+ release. AVP induces Ca2+ release by increasing the formation of IP3. Pretreatment with AVP greatly reduced caffeine-induced Ca2+ release whereas pretreatment with caffeine also reduced AVP-induced Ca2+ release. The L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nimodipine (1 microM) inhibited caffeine-induced Ca2+ influx. In addition, depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores with thapsigargin did not affect caffeine-induced Ca2+ influx. These results suggested that: 1) the ryanodine- and caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ store exists in RINm5F cells, 2) most of these Ca2+ release channels in RINm5F cells are closed in the resting state, since pretreatment with ryanodine alone failed to block the caffeine-induced Ca2+ release, 3) there is a "cross-talk" between the caffeine- and IP3-sensitive pools in RINm5F cells, 4) caffeine increases Ca2+ entry in RINm5F cells through L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, and 5) the caffeine-induced Ca2+ influx is independent of the Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca2+ stores.

Animals↗

Caffeine-induced calcium release from internal stores in cultured rat sensory neurons.

Free intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]in) was recorded at 22 degrees C by means of Indo-1 or Fura-2 single-cell microfluorometry in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons obtained from neonatal rats. The resting [Ca2+]in in dorsal root ganglion neurons was 73 +/- 21 nM (mean +/- S.D., n = 94). Fast application of 20 mM caffeine evoked [Ca2+]in transient which reached a peak of 269 +/- 64 nM within 5.9 +/- 1.1 s. After reaching the peak the [Ca2+]in level started to decline in the presence of caffeine and for 87.2 +/- 10.6 s cytoplasmic calcium returned to an initial resting value. In 40% of neurons tested [Ca2+]in decreased to subresting levels following the washout of caffeine (the so-called post-caffeine undershoot). On average, the undershoot level was 19 +/- 2.5 nM below the resting [Ca2+]in value. Prolonged exposure of caffeine depleted the caffeine-sensitive stores of releasable Ca2+; the degree of this depletion depended on caffeine concentration. The depletion of the caffeine-sensitive internal stores to some extent was linked to calcium extrusion via La(3+)-sensitive plasmalemmal Ca(2+)-ATPases. The stores could be partially refilled by the uptake of cytoplasmic Ca2+, but the complete recovery of releasable Ca2+ content of the caffeine-sensitive pools required the additional calcium entry via voltage-operated calcium channels. Caffeine-evoked [Ca2+]in transients were effectively blocked by 10 microM ryanodine, 5 mM procaine, 10 microM dantrolene or 0.5 mM Ba2+, thus sharing the basic properties of the Ca(2+)-induced-Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum. Pharmacological manipulation with caffeine-sensitive stores interfered with the depolarization-induced [Ca2+]in transients. In the presence of low caffeine concentration (0.5-1 mM) in the extracellular solution the rate of rise of the depolarization-triggered [Ca2+]in transients significantly increased (by a factor 2.15 +/- 0.29) suggesting the occurrence of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release. When the caffeine-sensitive stores were emptied by prolonged application of caffeine, the amplitude and the rate of rise of the depolarization-induced [Ca2+]in transients were decreased. These facts suggest the involvement of internal caffeine-sensitive calcium stores in the generation of calcium signal in sensory neurons.

Animals↗

Differential reduction by caffeine of adriamycin induced cell killing and cell cycle delays in Chinese hamster V79 cells.

Exponentially growing Chinese-hamster V79-cells were treated with various doses of adriamycin (ADR) for 1 hr in the presence or absence of 2 mM caffeine and were subsequently incubated for 24 hr in fresh medium with or without caffeine (2 mM) before plating to assay for survival. The results indicated a reduction in killing when caffeine was present during treatment with ADR (e.g., reduction in killing from 0.03 to 0.3 after exposure to 0.5 microgram/ml ADR). This reduction in killing was even more pronounced after a 24 hr treatment with ADR in the presence of caffeine (e.g., reduction from 0.005 to 0.5 after exposure to 0.08 microgram/ml ADR). Incubation with caffeine after ADR treatment (1 hr) caused only a comparably small increase in cell survival. Presence of caffeine either simultaneously or after treatment with ADR caused a reduction of the inhibition of growth and mean-cell-volume increase, and a reduction of the accumulation of cells in G2-phase. Qualitatively similar results were also obtained after continuous treatment with ADR in the presence or absence of caffeine. Reduction in growth inhibition and accumulation of cells in G2-phase was observed under conditions only slightly affecting cell survival, thus suggesting that caffeine may affect these two phenomena by independent mechanisms. Flow cytometry measurement of the intracellular ADR content indicated a reduction in the presence of caffeine. Furthermore, post-treatment incubation with caffeine was found to increase the rate of decay of ADR-related fluorescence. Quantitative comparison between the effect of caffeine in the intracellular ADR accumulation and cell survival suggested that the observed reduction in killing could be attributed to a decrease in the intracellular drug levels. The reduction by caffeine of the ADR-induced cell cycle delays is attributed to either the decrease in the intracellular ADR dose in the presence of caffeine, or to an effect of caffeine similar to that exerted after exposure of cells to ionizing radiation. Trifluoperazine, which had only a small effect on cell survival of cells treated with ADR alone, potentiated killing when cells were treated with ADR in the presence of caffeine. This effect can be partly attributed to the observed modification in the intracellular ADR content under these conditions but, as a quantitative comparison suggests, other effects might also be involved.

Animals↗

Differences in pharmacokinetic and electroencephalographic responses to caffeine in sleep-sensitive and non-sensitive subjects.

The present study investigated pharmacokinetic and electroencephalographic responses to caffeine (140 mg) in two groups of healthy volunteers reporting, or not, caffeine-related sleep disturbances. Significant differences in caffeine consumption and smoking habits were observed between the two groups. Plasma samples were taken from each subject before (T0) and after caffeine intake at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. Three pharmacokinetic parameters: half-life (t1/2), maximum time (Tmax) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) were calculated from caffeine plasma concentration measurements determined by reversed phase HPLC analysis. Caffeine-sensitive subjects showed significantly greater half-life values when calculated on 24 h after the administration than tolerant subjects (p<0.05). Since the elimination kinetics were similar on the first 6 h after caffeine administration, the increased caffeine clearance observed overnight, when smoking was resumed in the control group, may indicate a short delay for the induction of hepatic cytochrome, reported here for the first time. Electrophysiological responses to caffeine, including vigilance and cortical activity, were assessed by ambulatory electroencephalographic (EEG) recorded during a period of 6 h before and after caffeine consumption. Following caffeine intake, the caffeine-intolerant subjects presented an increase in vigilance levels with faster peak alpha, beta frequency and lower delta and theta power when compared to tolerant subjects. Pharmacokinetic parameters and EEG data showed significant differences between sleep-sensitive and control subjects. These variations may be, in part, explained by cigarette smoking and the higher caffeine intake observed in the subjects of the control groups while caffeine sleep-sensitive subjects have a significantly lower caffeine intake, as already reported in previous studies on patients with sleep disturbances.

Adult↗

The role of dopamine in the locomotor stimulant effects and tolerance to these effects of caffeine.

Current evidence indicates that the acute locomotor stimulant effects of caffeine involve dopamine (DA) receptor activation; however, few studies have investigated the role of DA receptors in mediating the development of tolerance to caffeine. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the degree to which DA receptors mediate the development of tolerance to the locomotor stimulant effects of caffeine. Caffeine was examined alone and in combination with haloperidol (HAL), GBR 12909, nisoxetine and fluoxetine. HAL dose-dependently and completely blocked the acute effects of caffeine on locomotor activity, and the highest dose of GBR 12909 enhanced the effects of caffeine. Neither nisoxetine nor fluoxetine altered the effects of caffeine. HAL was infused via osmotic pumps (0.1 mg/kg/day) during a 14-day regimen of chronic caffeine administered in a caffeinated drinking solution ( approximately 136 mg/kg/day). HAL did not block the development of tolerance to the locomotor stimulant effects of caffeine, but did impair the recovery from tolerance following withdrawal of caffeine. [3H]SCH 23390 (DA D(1)) binding sites were downregulated in the nucleus accumbens and striatum and were upregulated in the prefrontal cortex of caffeine-treated vs. control rats; however, the affinity of [3H]SCH 23390 for these binding sites was unaltered. There were no differences between the caffeine-treated and control rats in number or affinity of [3H]spiperone (DA D(2)) binding sites. These results suggest that, although HAL did not alter the development of tolerance to caffeine, changes in DA D(1) receptors could be one component of the mechanism underlying caffeine-induced tolerance.

Animals↗

Regular caffeine consumption: a balance of adverse and beneficial effects for mood and psychomotor performance.

It has often been pointed out that caffeine is the most widely "used" psychoactive substance in the world, and accordingly, there is a very large amount of research available on the effects of caffeine on body and mind. In particular, a psychostimulant action of caffeine is generally accepted as well established; for example, caffeine has been found to quicken reaction time and enhance vigilance performance, and to increase self-rated alertness and improve mood. There is, however, a real difficulty in determining the net effects of caffeine. In a typical experiment the subjects have a history of regular caffeine consumption, and they are tested on caffeine and a placebo after a period of caffeine deprivation (often overnight). The problem with relying solely on this approach is that it leaves open the question as to whether the results obtained are due to beneficial effects of caffeine or to deleterious effects of caffeine deprivation. The present article briefly reviews this evidence on the psychostimulant effects of caffeine, and presents some new data testing the hypothesis that caffeine may enhance cognitive performance to a greater extent in older adults than in young adults. No age-related differences in the effects of caffeine on psychomotor performance were found. We conclude that overall there is little unequivocal evidence to show that regular caffeine use is likely to substantially benefit mood or performance. Indeed, one of the significant factors motivating caffeine consumption appears to be "withdrawal relief."

Adult↗

Effects of caffeine on human behavior.

The literature suggests that the following effects on behavior of adult humans may occur when individuals consume moderate amounts of caffeine. (1) Caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue. This may be especially important in low arousal situations (e.g. working at night). (2) Caffeine improves performance on vigilance tasks and simple tasks that require sustained response. Again, these effects are often clearest when alertness is reduced, although there is evidence that benefits may still occur when the person is unimpaired. (3) Effects on more complex tasks are difficult to assess and probably involve interactions between the caffeine and other variables which increase alertness (e.g. personality and time of day). (4) In contrast to the effects of caffeine consumption, withdrawal of caffeine has few effects on performance. There is often an increase in negative mood following withdrawal of caffeine, but such effects may largely reflect the expectancies of the volunteers and the failure to conduct "blind" studies. (5) Regular caffeine usage appears to be beneficial, with higher users having better mental functioning. (6) Most people are very good at controlling their caffeine consumption to maximise the above positive effects. For example, the pattern of consumption over the day shows that caffeine is often consumed to increase alertness. Indeed, many people do not consume much caffeine later in the day since it is important not to be alert when one goes to sleep. In contrast to effects found from normal caffeine intake, there are reports that have demonstrated negative effects when very large amounts are given or sensitive groups (e.g. patients with anxiety disorders) were studied. In this context caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety and impair sleep. There is also some evidence that fine motor control may be impaired as a function of the increase in anxiety. Overall, the global picture that emerges depends on whether one focuses on effects that are likely to be present when caffeine is consumed in moderation by the majority of the population or on the effects found in extreme conditions. The evidence clearly shows that levels of caffeine consumed by most people have largely positive effects on behavior. Excessive consumption can lead to problems, especially in sensitive individuals.

Affect↗

The impact of caffeine use on tobacco cessation and withdrawal.

Continuous caffeine consumption with smoking cessation has been associated with more than doubled caffeine plasma levels. Such concentrations may be sufficient to produce caffeine toxicity symptoms in smoking abstinence conditions. To test whether caffeine abstinence influences smoking cessation, 162 caffeine-using smokers were enlisted from American Lung Association smoking cessation programs. Volunteers were randomly assigned by clinic to caffeine-use and caffeine-abstinence conditions and measured for 3 weeks post-smoking cessation, at 6 months and one year. Results showed a significant linear increase in caffeine sputum levels across 3 weeks post cessation for those who quit smoking and continued using caffeine. Three weeks after cessation, concentrations reached 203% of baseline for the caffeine user. Typical nicotine withdrawal symptoms occurred during the first 16 days of cessation. The caffeine abstainers, but not continued users of caffeine, reported increased fatigue during the first 3 days of cessation. Among complete caffeine abstainers, compared with caffeine users, there was a significant increase in fatigue, a decrease in stimulation, and a marginal increase in caffeine craving immediately following tobacco cessation. There were no differences between the groups on other withdrawal symptoms or in cessation success at 16 days, 6 months, or 12 months.

Analysis of Variance↗

Effects of caffeine in overnight-withdrawn consumers and non-consumers.

RATIONALE: A number of recent studies have suggested that caffeine only improves mood and cognitive performance in regular caffeine consumers who are caffeine withdrawn at test (the "withdrawal hypothesis"). This can be tested by investigating the effects of caffeine in non-consumers of caffeine. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of 2 mg/kg caffeine on mood and cognitive performance in overnight-withdrawn consumers and non-consumers of caffeine. METHODS: Twenty-five overnight-withdrawn consumers and twenty-five non-consumers of caffeine were tested in a within-subjects design where they were given a drink containing 2 mg/kg caffeine on one test day and placebo on another test day. The order of conditions (caffeine/placebo) was counterbalanced. Mood and performance measures were taken before and after each drink, and pre-drink measures were used as covariates in the analysis of post-drink measures. RESULTS: Analysis of baseline scores revealed no significant effects of caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine generally improved mood and cognitive performance, relative to placebo, in both subjects groups. These effects did not differ significantly between groups apart from three measures (fewer lapses of attention and ratings of alertness and anxiety) where the effects of caffeine were larger in the non-consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed no negative effects of caffeine withdrawal. Beneficial effects of caffeine were observed in both withdrawn consumers and in non-consumers. Therefore, the withdrawal hypothesis is not an adequate explanation for the effects of caffeine.

Adolescent↗

Caffeine restriction: effect on mild hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects on blood pressure of modifying dietary caffeine intake in patients with mild and borderline hypertension by monitoring ambulatory and clinic blood pressure. DESIGN: Four way, randomised, crossover trial of four consecutive two week dietary regimens: normal diet, caffeine free diet alone, caffeine free diet with decaffeinated instant coffee, caffeine free diet with caffeinated instant coffee (instant coffee phases conducted double blind). SETTING: Hospital hypertension clinic, Scotland. PATIENTS: 52 patients (23 men; aged 26-67 years) with untreated borderline or mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90-105 mm Hg) who normally drank a minimum of three cups of coffee daily. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean ambulatory blood pressure over 24 hours; mean morning, daytime, and night time ambulatory blood pressure; sitting clinic blood pressure at 1700; plasma caffeine concentration at 1700 on the last day of each regimen. RESULTS: Mean 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure was not different between regimens. There was no difference in blood pressure variability between regimens. During the caffeine free diet alone morning ambulatory diastolic blood pressure was higher (2.8 mm Hg) than during the caffeine free diet with caffeinated coffee. Mean sitting clinic systolic blood pressure was higher at 1700 (4.7 mm Hg) with a caffeine free diet than with the caffeine free diet with caffeinated coffee (p less than 0.05). Dietary compliance as assessed by plasma caffeine concentration was excellent. There was no significant correlation between plasma caffeine concentration and blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Drinking caffeinated instant coffee over a two week period does not adversely influence blood pressure in patients with borderline or mild hypertension; abstinence is of no benefit.

Adult↗