Caffeine

Question 1

Methylxanthines

What are they?

Answer 1

Alkaloid

Question 2

Where are they found?

Answer 2

Naturally found in plants and human body

Question 3

what are some characteristics?

Answer 3

Subcomponent of many organic compounds

2) organic-solvent soluble, moderately water-soluble
3) generally poisonous at large amounts.

Question 4

what is the Botanical origin?

Answer 4

Caffeine -> theophylline, theobromine –> paraxanthine

Active metabolites
structurally similar to serotonin, histamine, dopamine (glutamate)

Question 5

Neurochemistry

Neuromodulator: what is it?

Answer 5

A chemical used by a neuron to communicate to other neurons about their function (Not to activate them)
regulate gene expression and set point

Question 6

what does adenosine do?

effect on striatum

effect on hippocampus

Answer 6

Inhibitory effect
-sleep/arousal
striatum
Blocks glutamate so is an antagonist 
cognition, memory/learning
hippocampus
dopamine antagonist - turns cognition off

Question 7

Adenosine antagonist whats an example?
what is the receptor associated with it?
what is the receptors functions?

Answer 7

Caffeine is an agonist

Adenosine (A1): slows metabolic function.
- retrograde messenger
postsynaptic depression of NMDA receptor

Question 8

What does Caffeine facilitate?

Answer 8

Memory and synaptic plasticity
hyper activation results in inhibility to focus
constricts vasculature in brain (migraine)

Question 9

Adenosine antagonist A1 and A2 are responsible for what ?

Answer 9

Oxygen in blood flow

reducing heart rate

Question 10

What is the new research into these two? (A3 A2a)

Answer 10

Opening the BBB
A3 can be used to inhibit melanoma cells
A2a anti-inflammatory agent

Question 11

Absorption and elimination

Answer 11

High variable 
dose dependent responses 
developmental stafe (children need more)
time to peak does not chance across doses
gated/binding mechanism 
concentration levels/time decrease in presence of sugars

Question 12

What will experience do?

Answer 12

More experience results in longer times

reverse for cigarette smokers

Question 13

Tolerance and withdrawal

Answer 13

Observable for the physiological effects, not psychological effects

Question 14

What are the problems with this? (tolerance and withdrawal)

Answer 14

Variability of absorption
poor operationalization of dosage
individual differences

Question 15

DSM-5 recognizing caffeine use disorder based on what?

Answer 15

Tolerance
withdrawal
desire to quit

Question 16

What is the toxic amount?

Answer 16

10 grams per day 57.14 cups

Question 17

Energy drinks- what do they combine?

Answer 17

Xanthine and potentiators

Question 18

Behavioural effects? (caffeine)

Answer 18

Mood elevation 
- dopaminergic release 
Performance enhancement 
-boring simple tasks 
-physical tasks 
-decreases fatigue 
-sobering (false)

Question 19

What are the problems with energy drinks?

Answer 19

advertised as low caffeine
high variable in xanthine content
caffeine is listed only if added (not naturally occurring
metabolites, precursors, and compounds not measured
comparable potencies unknown

Question 20

Caffeine effects:

Taurine is what?

Answer 20

Similar to GABA 
inhibitory NT in adults 
excitatory in kids
anxiolytic effects 
GABA antero/retrograde amnesia

Question 21

Caffeine Effect:

Neuroprotectant does what?

Answer 21

Inhibit glutamate-induced exitotoxicity
trophic and inhibitory modulator
altered in neuropsychiatric disorders
antioxidant/prevent oxidative stress

Question 22

Caffeine Effects:

Caffeine and taurine

Answer 22

Synergistic effects (potentiated)
-aerobic heart problem
potential increase in mood