The Janus face of caffeine.
Caffeine is certainly the psychostimulant substance most consumed worldwide. Over the past years, chronic consumption of caffeine has been associated with prevention of cognitive decline associated to aging and mnemonic deficits of brain disorders. While its preventive effects have been reported extensively, the cognitive enhancer properties of caffeine are relatively under debate. Surprisingly, there are scarce detailed ontogenetic studies focusing on neurochemical parameters related to the effects of caffeine during prenatal and earlier postnatal periods. Furthermore, despite the large number of epidemiological studies, it remains unclear how safe is caffeine consumption during pregnancy and brain development. Thus, the purpose of this article is to review what is currently known about the actions of caffeine intake on neurobehavioral and adenosinergic system during brain development. We also reviewed other neurochemical systems affected by caffeine, but not only during brain development. Besides, some recent epidemiological studies were also outlined with the control of "pregnancy signal" as confounding variable. The idea is to tease out how studies on the impact of caffeine consumption during brain development deserve more attention and further investigation.
Laboratório de Estudos sobre o Sistema Purinérgico, Departamento de Bioquímica/ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil. Electronic address: loporciuncula@yahoo.com.
Lisiane O
LO
Porciúncula
Laboratório de Estudos sobre o Sistema Purinérgico, Departamento de Bioquímica/ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil.
Cássia
C
Sallaberry
Laboratório de Estudos sobre o Sistema Purinérgico, Departamento de Bioquímica/ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil.
Sabrina
S
Mioranzza
Laboratório de Estudos sobre o Sistema Purinérgico, Departamento de Bioquímica/ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil.
Paulo Henrique S
PH
Botton
Laboratório de Estudos sobre o Sistema Purinérgico, Departamento de Bioquímica/ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Genética e Ecotoxicologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Área de Ciências Exatas e Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó. Avenida Senador Attílio Fontana, 591E, 89809-000 Chapecó/SC, Brazil.
Denis B
DB
Rosemberg
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002110:Caffeine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D002110:Caffeine
Adenosine; Brain development; Caffeine; Learning and memory