Caffeine Linked to Hallucinations
January 19, 2009
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new British study discovered people
who drink mass quantities of caffeine are more likely to report hallucinations
like hearing voices and seeing things that are not there.
Researchers at Durham University categorize high caffeine drinkers as someone
who consumed more than the equivalent of seven cups of instant coffee a day.
Caffeine sources also include tea and energy drinks. In their study the
researchers questioned 200 students about their typical caffeine intake.
Researchers found “high caffeine users” were three times more likely to have
heard a person’s voice when there was no one there compared to “low caffeine
users” who consumed less than one cup of instant coffee a day.
The researchers say the findings will contribute to the beginnings of a better
understanding of the effect of nutrition on hallucinations.
"This is a first step towards looking at the wider factors associated with
hallucinations. Previous research has highlighted a number of important factors,
such as childhood trauma, which may lead to clinically relevant
hallucinations," lead author, Simon Jones, a PhD student at Durham
University's Psychology Department was quoted as saying. "Many such factors
are thought to be linked to hallucinations in part because of their impact on
the body's reaction to stress. Given the link between food and mood, and
particularly between caffeine and the body's response to stress, it seems
sensible to examine what a nutritional perspective may add," Jones said
SOURCE: Personality and Individual Differences, January 2009
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