Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
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CHAPTER 15
Caffeine and Cognitive
Performance
ANA ADAN*
1
AND JOSEP MARIA SERRA-GRABULOSA
2
1
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of
Barcelona and Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (IR3C), Pg. Vall
Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
2
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical
Psychobiology, University of Barcelona and Institut d'Investigacions
Biom`diques August Pi i Sunyer, IDIBAPS, Pg. Vall Hebron 171,
08035 Barcelona, Spain
*E-mail: aadan@ub.edu
15.1 Introduction
Caffeine is part of our everyday lives and probably the most widely-used
psychoactive substance around the world. Thousands of people use caffeine as
a way of getting ready for the day. It is present in coffee as well as in a wide
variety of other drinks (i.e. tea, soft drinks). Because caffeine use is so
widespread, several studies have been carried out on the effects of caffeine on
human behavior and cognition. Many of these works have found improve-
ments in cognitive performance thanks to caffeine, although in the last decades
multiple factors have been suggested which may affect the results and account
for some inconsistent findings. Among them, the dose and form of
administration, the subjects' characteristics regarding caffeine (usual level of
caffeine consumption, caffeine withdrawal) and the specific circumstances in
which the measures are taken (low arousal or activation, sleep deprivation,
etc.).
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