Caffeine

What is the definition of a stimulant drug

A drug that increases activity in the central nervous system, producing alertness and increased energy

what are the sources of caffeine

Coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate, and some medications

what are the Pharmacodynamics of caffeine

Blocks adenosine receptors, increasing alertness and indirectly increasing dopamine and norepinephrine activity

Caffeine pharmacokinetics absorption

Rapidly absorbed through stomach and small intestine

Caffeine pharmacokinetics peak time

Peaks in bloodstream within 30–60 minutes

Caffeine pharmacokinetics half-life

About 3–7 hours (longer in pregnancy)

Caffeine metabolism location

liver

Drug doses often measured as

mg per kg body weight

Why drug doses use mg/kg

Controls for body size differences between participants

what are some issues with research methods

Issues can include small sample sizes, lack of control groups, bias in data collection, and insufficient longitudinal studies.

What are acute drug effects

short-term effects immediately after drug use

what are objective drug effects

Measurable effects such as reaction time, heart rate, and performance

what are subjective drug effects

self-reported effects such as mood, alertness, or anxiety

Correlational study limitation

it shows the relationship between variables but cannot determine causation

What is a placebo study?

participants receive inactive substance but believe it may be active

Objective effect measurement method

Physiological recordings or performance tests

Subjective effect measurement method

Surveys or self-report scales

within-subjects study

some participants experience all experimental conditions

between-subject study

different participants experience different conditions

Chronic caffeine objective effects

Increased blood pressure and disrupted sleep

Chronic caffeine subjective effects

Dependence feelings and anxiety

Chronic caffeine bodily effects

GI upset, insomnia, elevated heart rate

Caffeinism symptoms

Nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, tremors

Caffeine tolerance mechanism

Increased number of adenosine receptors

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms

Headache, fatigue, irritability, poor concentration

Withdrawal reversal hypothesis

Caffeine consumption relieves withdrawal symptoms rather than producing new positive effects

Withdrawal reversal reinforcement type

negative reinforcement

Caffeine pregnancy effects

Slower metabolism and risk of low birth weight

Caffeine effects on children

Increased sensitivity and sleep disruption