Caffeine intake may treat some symptoms of ADHD

A team of UOC experts has looked into the possibility of incorporating caffeine into treatment to relieve some of the symptoms of ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder whose diagnoses have grown exponentially over the past 20 years

Despite these high morbidities, controversy surrounds the treatment and treatment of this pathology

A group of experts at the UOC is investigating the possibility of using caffeine as part of a treatment to relieve some of the symptoms of ADHD, as the use of some drugs is controversial

A team of experts from the University of Catalonia Oberta (UOC), coordinated by Diego Redolar, specialises in neuroscience research and collaborates with the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory group at the UOC Faculty of Health Sciences Do research

"Therapies for relieving ADHD are limited and there is a degree of controversy around the use of certain types of drugs and stimulants, especially in childhood and adolescence

Improve cognitive processes

According to the authors, this is the first systematic review, including at the cellular level, to show that, in different animal models of ADHD, caffeine intake is associated with increased attentional duration, improved attention, learning benefits and Certain types of memory improvements are associated

ADHD is a mental illness that affects an estimated 2 to 5 percent of children

"The substance improves these cognitive processes, increasing the ability and flexibility of spatial and selective attention, as well as working and short-term memory

Nonetheless, the researchers noted that caffeine could be used as a tool to treat these types of symptoms, but the results for other symptoms typical of ADHD, such as hyperactivity and impulsivity, are unclear

Therefore, these benefits clearly suggest that caffeine may be a treatment for ADHD

Diagnosed prevalence of ADHD

ADHD is a mental disorder that has seen an exponential increase in the number of people diagnosed with the disorder over the past 25 years, especially among children

The prevalence of this disease in adults is very low due to lack of diagnosis

Since this is a very naive or juvenile pathology, the need for intensive medication to relieve ADHD symptoms has caused considerable controversy in many families and in some areas of medicine

"We would like to stress that we are not opposed to medication for ADHD and we would like to investigate all possible alternatives to improve this type of disorder, and to regulate its use from a therapeutic standpoint with all appropriate medical supervision prescribed for treatment and follow-up Caffeine," Redolar said
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