Forskning

January 4, 2012

Use of coffee, caffeinated drinks and caffeine tablets for cognitive enhancement in pupils and students in Germany

A G Franke et al, Use of coffee, caffeinated drinks and caffeine tablets for cognitive enhancement in pupils and students in Germany, Pharmacopsychiatry, 2011, Volume 44

Substance use for cognitive enhancement is a topic of increasing importance. There are only few data about substances, prevalence rates and factors associated with cognitive enhancement. The aim of this study was to assess first data about the use of coffee, caffeinated drinks and caffeine tablets for cognitive enhancement at school and university. A self-report questionnaire was developed to analyze 1547 pupils and students about their use of coffee, caffeine tablets, and caffeinated drinks for cognitive enhancement and factors associated with this use. Lifetime, past year, and past month prevalence for the use of coffee for cognitive enhancement was 53.2%, 8.5%, and 6.3%,  for the use of caffeinated drinks 39%, 10.7%, and 6.3%, and for the use of caffeine tablets 10.5%, 3.8%, and 0.8%. Use of caffeinated substances for cognitive enhancement was influenced by gender and school grades. The use of coffee and caffeinated drinks for cognitive enhancement was found to be widespread in the surveyed population. Although the use of caffeine tablets was found to be smaller than the above mentioned means, it still indicates a relatively high disposition for using tablets for purposes of cognitive enhancement.