Effect of Caffeine on Cognitive Functions’ (APA Paper)

Effect of Caffeine on Cognitive Functions’ 

What you eat and drink can really change you, not just in diet or size but also your mental capacity. In this modern era, caffeine has become one of the most consumed drugs in the world. Too much consumption of caffeine has raised a need to develop an extensive number of experiments to find the effects of caffeine on cognitive functions.  

Several researchers have shown that coffee improves the cognitive functions of individuals. However, other studies have indicated that consuming coffee has zero correlation to cognitive functioning and no improvement is recorded upon its consumption. In a study review, the researchers explained that the usage of a certain amount of coffee improves cognitive functions (McLellan et al. 294-312). Based on the authors' argument, 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine is absorbed faster and reaches all tissues within a short time. As such, the compound can efficiently reach the brain due to its ability to cross the brain barrier. Within the brain, it exerts different effects such as increased attention and activity, among others. At a metabolic level, the compound has been shown to block adenosine receptors. The receptors are expressed in the brain and the neighbouring tissues. The authors noted that blocking the second subtype receptor enhances the stimulatory impacts of dopamine on motor activity. Direct modulation of the first adenosine receptor is realized with the ingestion of about 32-300 milligrams of caffeine. Coffee beverages contain a phytochemical called caffeine. Roasted coffee berry seeds from a coffee plant are the source of the ingredient. Coffee has been used to manufacture various drinks since immemorial time. 

Alternatively, some research studies conducted depicted that caffeine usage elicits different arousal impacts and in varying degrees. In connection, various individuals may show anxiety, jitteriness, and nervousness upon drinking of coffee while in others the opposite is felt. Individual differences, task under investigation, gender, emotional state, and body mass difference may cause the respondents' differences. The mentioned above factors may dictate the mixed research findings. However, test respondents whose cognitive functions did not change may have been due to various underlying factors. The researchers end up wrongly concluding that taking coffee does not positively affect cognitive functions. Over many years of study, caffeine-induced activation and improved performance are evident. As stated in a study, attention, vigilance, and reaction time all improved in the test respondents (McLellan, Caldwell & Lieberman, 2016). Therefore, improved cognitive functions ensue upon consumption of caffeine. 

In contrast, other studies had implicated coffee as a psychoactive drug other than being a cognitive functioning enhancer (Cappelletti et al., 2015). The recorded cases portrayed that coffee-induced dependence in various individuals. There is a need for the dosage to be considered to avoid the adverse impacts of overconsumption. Just like other drugs, caffeine should be used to treat multiple medical conditions. In connection, caffeine as a drug has been utilized to treat various ailments like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Thus, the drug disrupts the action of neuroendocrine control pathways. Indeed, coffee does not enhance the cognitive functioning of various individuals, but it disrupts neural pathways. The effect of the interruption is improved attention and activity, among other consequences. The improvement may be due to increased brain activity or muscle activity within the body. 

In conclusion, caffeine is a phytochemical present in the coffee plant. The compound can be used to elicit improved cognitive function upon ingestion. A lot of research studies show that the product can be used to enhance attention and activity. Some sectors such as business and sports can use caffeine products to improve the functioning and productivity of their workers or athletes. 

References

Cappelletti, Simone, et al. "Caffeine: cognitive and physical performance enhancer or psychoactive drug?." Current neuropharmacology 13.1 (2015): 71-88. 

McLellan, Tom M., John A. Caldwell, and Harris R. Lieberman. "A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 71 (2016): 294-312.