Human drug discrimination and multiple chemical sensitivity: caffeine exposure as an experimental model.
Multiple chemical sensitivity is a controversial diagnosis. Rigorous, controlled, laboratory-based research can reduce this controversy and lead to potential clinical confirmatory tests. The literature on human caffeine discrimination provides a rigorous methodology that can address reports that patients who suffer multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are sensitive to usually well-tolerated chemical doses; the studies require patients to discriminate caffeine from placebo under double-blind conditions. Several issues relevant to the conduct of caffeine discrimination studies using MCS patients as subjects are addressed; these issues include study design, determination of safe and tolerable training doses, and discrimination training. Such research will benefit patients and clinicians dealing with a diagnosis of MCS.
Eissenberg
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21224-6823, USA.
Griffiths
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D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D018777:Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design
D002110:Caffeine