RATIONALE: When humans are acutely exposed to multiple stressors, cognitive performance is substantially degraded. Few practical strategies are available to sustain performance under such conditions. OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether moderate doses of caffeine would reduce adverse effects of sleep deprivation and exposure to severe environmental and operational stress on cognitive performance. METHODS:Volunteers were 68 U.S. Navy Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) trainees, randomly assigned to receive either 100, 200, or 300 mg caffeine or placebo in capsule form after 72 h of sleep deprivation and continuous exposure to other stressors. Cognitive tests administered included scanning visual vigilance, four-choice visual reaction time, a matching-to-sample working memory task and a repeated acquisition test of motor learning and memory. Mood state, marksmanship, and saliva caffeine were also assessed. Testing was conducted 1 and 8 h after treatment. RESULTS: Sleep deprivation and environmental stress adversely affected performance and mood. Caffeine, in a dose-dependent manner, mitigated many adverse effects of exposure to multiple stressors. Caffeine (200 and 300 mg) significantly improved visual vigilance, choice reaction time, repeated acquisition, self-reported fatigue and sleepiness with the greatest effects on tests of vigilance, reaction time, and alertness. Marksmanship, a task that requires fine motor coordination and steadiness, was not affected by caffeine. The greatest effects of caffeine were present 1 h post-administration, but significant effects persisted for 8 h. CONCLUSIONS: Even in the most adverse circumstances, moderate doses of caffeine can improve cognitive function, including vigilance, learning, memory, and mood state. When cognitive performance is critical and must be maintained during exposure to severe stress, administration of caffeine may provide a significant advantage. A dose of 200 mg appears to be optimal under such conditions.
RCT Entities:
RATIONALE: When humans are acutely exposed to multiple stressors, cognitive performance is substantially degraded. Few practical strategies are available to sustain performance under such conditions. OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether moderate doses of caffeine would reduce adverse effects of sleep deprivation and exposure to severe environmental and operational stress on cognitive performance. METHODS: Volunteers were 68 U.S. Navy Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) trainees, randomly assigned to receive either 100, 200, or 300 mg caffeine or placebo in capsule form after 72 h of sleep deprivation and continuous exposure to other stressors. Cognitive tests administered included scanning visual vigilance, four-choice visual reaction time, a matching-to-sample working memory task and a repeated acquisition test of motor learning and memory. Mood state, marksmanship, and saliva caffeine were also assessed. Testing was conducted 1 and 8 h after treatment. RESULTS:Sleep deprivation and environmental stress adversely affected performance and mood. Caffeine, in a dose-dependent manner, mitigated many adverse effects of exposure to multiple stressors. Caffeine (200 and 300 mg) significantly improved visual vigilance, choice reaction time, repeated acquisition, self-reported fatigue and sleepiness with the greatest effects on tests of vigilance, reaction time, and alertness. Marksmanship, a task that requires fine motor coordination and steadiness, was not affected by caffeine. The greatest effects of caffeine were present 1 h post-administration, but significant effects persisted for 8 h. CONCLUSIONS: Even in the most adverse circumstances, moderate doses of caffeine can improve cognitive function, including vigilance, learning, memory, and mood state. When cognitive performance is critical and must be maintained during exposure to severe stress, administration of caffeine may provide a significant advantage. A dose of 200 mg appears to be optimal under such conditions.
Authors: Bogachan Sahin; Stacey Galdi; Joseph Hendrick; Robert W Greene; Gretchen L Snyder; James A Bibb Journal: Brain Res Date: 2006-12-06 Impact factor: 3.252
Authors: Brandon J George; Peng Li; Harris R Lieberman; Greg Pavela; Andrew W Brown; Kevin R Fontaine; Madeline M Jeansonne; Gareth R Dutton; Adeniyi J Idigo; Mariel A Parman; Donald B Rubin; David B Allison Journal: Psychol Methods Date: 2017-04-13
Authors: Devon A Hansen; Sridhar Ramakrishnan; Brieann C Satterfield; Nancy J Wesensten; Matthew E Layton; Jaques Reifman; Hans P A Van Dongen Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2018-12-11 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Daniel Norman; Wayne A Bardwell; Jose S Loredo; Sonia Ancoli-Israel; Robert K Heaton; Joel E Dimsdale Journal: Sleep Breath Date: 2008-08 Impact factor: 2.816
Authors: William D S Killgore; Ellen T Kahn-Greene; Nancy L Grugle; Desiree B Killgore; Thomas J Balkin Journal: Sleep Date: 2009-02 Impact factor: 5.849
Authors: Maria Garrido; Jelena Skorucak; Daniela Raduazzo; Matteo Turco; Giuseppe Spinelli; Paolo Angeli; Piero Amodio; Peter Achermann; Sara Montagnese Journal: Metab Brain Dis Date: 2016-05-19 Impact factor: 3.584
Authors: Martin P Paulus; Eric G Potterat; Marcus K Taylor; Karl F Van Orden; James Bauman; Nausheen Momen; Genieleah A Padilla; Judith L Swain Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2009-05-15 Impact factor: 8.989