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Effects of caffeine on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective performance of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Department of Educational Psychology, National-Louis University, 2840 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201 mleo{at}evan1.nl.edu

Studies examining caffeine's effects on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective functioning of children with ADHD were reviewed. For children with ADHD, caffeine was more effective than no treatment in decreasing impulsivity, aggression, and parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and more effective than placebo in decreasing hyperactivity and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and in improving executive functioning/planning. Methylphenidate was more effective than caffeine in decreasing hyperactivity, aggression, and parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and in improving executive functioning/planning and motor coordination. Amphetamines were more effective than caffeine in reducing hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity. Combining caffeine and stimulants to produce moderate levels of arousal may produce better functioning than caffeine or stimulant drugs alone. Research is needed regarding caffeine's effects on the functioning of adolescents and adults with ADHD.

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