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Low dose of caffeine enhances the efficacy of antidepressants in major depressive disorder and the underlying neural substrates
Author(s) -
Liu QingShan,
Deng Ran,
Fan Yuyan,
Li Keqin,
Meng Fangang,
Li Xueli,
Liu Rui
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.201600910
Subject(s) - major depressive disorder , caffeine , medicine , pharmacology , clinical efficacy , psychiatry , psychology , cognition
Scope Caffeine is one of the most frequently used psychoactive substances ingested mainly via beverage or food products. Major depressive disorder is a serious and devastating psychiatric disorder. Emerging evidence indicates that caffeine enhances the antidepressant‐like activity of common antidepressant drugs in rodents. However, whether joint administration of low dose of caffeine enhances the antidepressant actions in depressed patients remains unclear. Methods and results A total of 95 male inpatients were assigned to three groups and were asked to take either caffeine (60, 120 mg) or placebo (soymilk powder) daily for 4 wk on the basis of their current antidepressant medications. Results showed that chronic supplementation with low dose of caffeine (60 mg) produced rapid antidepressant action by reduction of depressive scores. Furthermore, low dose of caffeine improved cognitive performance in depressed patients. However, caffeine did not affect sleep as measured by overnight polysomnography. Moreover, chronic caffeine consumption elicited inhibition of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation by normalization of salivary cortisol induced by Trier social stress test. Conclusions These findings indicated the potential benefits of further implications of supplementary administration of caffeine to reverse the development of depression and enhance the outcome of antidepressants treatment in major depressive disorder.