Caffeine may influence the way the brain responds to touch
Medical Xpress • • health
Key Points:
- New research from Aarhus University Hospital reveals that caffeine not only boosts alertness but also alters how the brain connects sensory input to motor responses, specifically enhancing short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI).
- The study involved 20 healthy adults who received 200 mg of caffeine via chewing gum or a placebo in a double-blind setup, with brain responses measured using magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex.
- Results showed caffeine increased the brain’s ability to reduce muscle response after a touch when assessed with the conventional A-SAI method, but not with the threshold-tracking T-SAI technique.
- The researchers suggest caffeine’s effect is due to blocking adenosine receptors, which may increase acetylcholine levels and modulate sensory-motor integration in the brain.
- This study indicates that caffeine may subtly influence brain chemistry and motor control beyond its well-known role in enhancing alertness.