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Neuroendocrine Effects of Caffeine in Rat and Man

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Caffeine

Abstract

Treatments that modify the biochemical composition of the brain or otherwise affect neurotransmission can, as a consequence, alter one or more of the brain’s three output channels: behavior; hormone secretion from neuroendocrine organs; and processes controlled by autonomic nerves (e.g., cardiac rhythm). Caffeine administration affects the levels and turnover rates of catecholamines (Berkowitz and Spector 1971; Schlosberg et al. 1981) and serotonin (Fernstrom and Fernstrom, this volume p. 107) in the CNS and may also interrupt adenosine-mediated neurotransmission. Moreover, caffeine’s brain effects are known to lead to the cardiovascular and behavioral changes that are summarized in this volume by Robertson and Curatolo (p. 77) and Dews (p. 86) respectively. This chapter considers the evidence that caffeine consumption can affect the brain’s third output channel, neuroendocrine secretion, in experimental animals and in human subjects.

Some of these studies were supported in part by grants from the International Life Sciences Institute

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Authors
  1. E. R. Spindel
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  2. R. J. Wurtman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. 181 Upland Road, Newtonville, MA, 02160, USA

    P. B. Dews

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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Spindel, E.R., Wurtman, R.J. (1984). Neuroendocrine Effects of Caffeine in Rat and Man. In: Dews, P.B. (eds) Caffeine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69823-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69823-1_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-69825-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-69823-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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