Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:178-183
Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association
Acute effects of caffeine in normal prepubertal boys
RN Elkins, JL Rapoport, TP Zahn, MS Buchsbaum, H Weingartner, IJ Kopin, D Langer and C Johnson
A recent study demonstrated that dextroamphetamine has an effect in normal
prepubertal boys similar to that seen in hyperactive children. The purpose
of the present study was to see whether the effects of caffeine are similar
to those of amphetamine in normal children. The authors observed 19
prepubertal boys following administration of a single dose of placebo, 3
mg/kg of caffeine, and 10 mg/kg of caffeine in a double-blind, crossover
design. Caffeine produced increased vigilance and decreased reaction time,
as does amphetamine. Unlike amphetamine, however, the higher dose of
caffeine did not have a motor calming effect but increased motor activity.
Separate biological systems, therefore, may be differentially affected by
the two substances.
