Posted by IsoM on March 26, 2002, at 0:25:28
In reply to COFFEE and DEPRESSION, posted by Janelle on March 25, 2002, at 14:40:54
Janelle, I have a text called The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. In it, 9 pages are devoted to caffeine & other xanthines. The effect of caffeine as a CNS stimulant is to speed up thought processes & already learned physical tasks, clear thinking, & sustain the efforts in the face of mild fatigue. The effects are mild & wear off quickly in most people.
Caffeine taken in excess can lead to a rebound drowsiness, irritability, headaches, & depression. There has been studies correlating heavy coffee consumption with depression, but that's doesn't state that caffeine causes depression. It's quite possible instead that depressed people naturally self-medicate with caffeine in order to improve their mood, even temporarily.
poster:IsoM
thread:100065
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020322/msgs/100183.html