Posted by Cam W. on May 31, 2001, at 10:03:36
In reply to You mentioned caffeine, Cam, posted by grapebubblegum on May 31, 2001, at 8:46:15
GBG - As I understand it, the theory behind any stimulant for increasing vigilance, is that our brains tend to work on several trains of thought at one time or skip between these thoughts, and stimulants stop this skipping. This allows one to focus on the project at hand, without the inevitable mind drift or daydreaming. This is thought to be done by increasing the amount of dopamine neurotransmission.
Stimlants can worsen panic because, in some ways, in certain areas of the brain, an increase in dopamine neurotransmission &/or an increase in dopamine receptor stimulation decreases serotonin neurotransmission &/or serotonin release from the neuronal axon terminals.
In the long run, this can be a heavy price to pay for increased vigilance because it can affect mood. While caffeine (or any stimulant) does increase vigilance, allowing you to focus on a task, it could possibly set one up for increased panic attacks (or perhaps increased risk of depression) in the future if the decrease in serotonin is sustained and if the body is unable to compensate for this decrease.
Take it from someone who use to drink a pot and a half of coffee before noon. I was an owly son of a bi...gun (even more so than now...really). Restricting my caffeine (only take 3 shots of espresso in my venti caramel macchiato, now - Greg, you've created a Starbuck's monster) has seemed to help, somewhat, in the mood department (I guess you could say that I went from a Professor Snape to a Professor McGonigal). Remember, caffeine, like all stimulants, can be abused.
This situation is different in someone with ADHD, who are thought to have decreased dopamine neurotransmission, where increases in dopamine, by stimulants, only try to bring the levels back to "normal". So, a U.S. Mountain Dew (our government is still trying to protect our children from the evils of extra stimulation, so we only have "The Taste of a New Generation" and "The Real Thing" to get off on) may not hurt your son and may even decrease his need for prescription stimulants (if taken regularily). I would let his doc know of the caffeine intake, as it is a drug. When I give sugar and caffeine to my six year old, I make sure I am leaving her with her mother. The little one can literally climb the walls.
I do not work with children very much in my profession, so my advice here is probably not to the level it should be. I hope that this gives you some of the information that you were looking for. - Cam
poster:Cam W.
thread:64805
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010530/msgs/64878.html