Caffeine Addiction and Brain Chemistry

Vocabulary flashcards covering the mechanism of caffeine addiction, brain chemistry, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms based on Joseph Stromberg's article.

Caffeine

The world's most popular psychoactive drug, which is both water- and fat-soluble, enabling it to cross the blood-brain barrier and block adenosine receptors.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

A manual whose 5th edition, published in May 2013, officially included caffeine withdrawal as a mental disorder for the first time.

Adenosine

A naturally present brain molecule and byproduct of cellular processes such as cellular respiration that locks into receptors over time to produce feelings of tiredness.

Adenosine Receptors

Receptors on brain cells that normally bind adenosine to induce fatigue, but are structurally blocked by caffeine molecules to generate alertness.

Dopamine

A natural stimulant in the brain that works more effectively when adenosine receptors are blocked by caffeine.

Adrenaline

A stimulant secreted by the adrenal glands when cued by surplus floating adenosine in the brain.

Stimulant Enabler

A concept used by Stephen R. Braun to describe caffeine as a substance that allows natural stimulants to run wild rather than acting as a stimulant on its own.

Stephen R. Braun

The author of Buzzed: the Science and Lore of Caffeine and Alcohol, who described ingesting caffeine as akin to putting a block of wood under one of the brain's primary brake pedals.

Norepinephrine

A brain stimulant whose number of receptors decreases as the brain adapts to regular caffeine consumption.

Caffeine Tolerance

The adaptation where brain cells grow more adenosine receptors to maintain equilibrium, requiring larger amounts of caffeine to block them and achieve alertness.

Caffeine Withdrawal

A set of symptoms starting within 24 hours of quitting caffeine—including mental fogginess, fatigue, irritability, throbbing headache, muscle pain, nausea, and flu-like symptoms.

Baseline Reset Period

A duration of about 7-12 days without caffeine required for the brain to naturally decrease adenosine receptors back to baseline levels.