PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF STIMULANT DRUGS IN CHILDREN

咖啡因急性和慢性给药对大鼠的影响试验 自主神经系统（ANS）功能已被执行， 评估ANS活动在行为和主观影响中的作用， 这种药。 包括使用反应时间方法的注意力测试。 测试方案包括记录ANS活动的外周指标 例如皮肤电导（SC）、心率（HR）和皮肤温度 一个会议包括一个休息时间，介绍了一系列简单的 不需要反应的音调，以及反应时间任务。 已经进行了关于急性施用 在6-13岁的男孩和男性中使用两剂咖啡因和安慰剂， 儿童慢性（2周）咖啡因摄入研究。 咖啡因的急性和慢性给药的影响是 觉醒的SC指数增加，但HR有下降的趋势。 SC的结果与咖啡因可以 被认为是焦虑的药理学模型，但HR效应表明， 这个模型是不完美的。 在目前的一项研究中， 焦虑症儿童和对照组儿童的数据。 这将考验 假设，其中有证据表明，在成年人中，患者 焦虑症患者对咖啡因比对照组更敏感。 目前另一项研究比较了男孩的ANS活动和注意力， 行为障碍和注意力缺陷障碍。

Tests of the effects of acute and chronic administration of caffeine on autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning have been carried out to evaluate the role of ANS activity in behavioral and subjective effects of this drug. A test of attention using a reaction time method is included. The test protocol involves recording peripheral indicators of ANS activity such as skin conductance (SC), heart rate (HR), and skin temperature during a session consisting of a rest period, presentation of a series of simple tones to which no response is required, and the reaction time task. Studies have been carried out on the effects of the acute administration of two doses of caffeine and a placebo in 6-13 year old boys and in men, and a study of chronic (2 week) caffeine intake in children. The effects of both acute and chronic administration of caffeine were increases in SC indices of arousal but some trends toward decreases in HR. The SC results are consistent with the hypothesis that caffeine can be considered a pharmacologic model for anxiety, but the HR effects suggest the model is imperfect. In a current study, an acute dose protocol with caffeine is being conducted on children with anxiety disorders and controls. This will test the hypothesis, for which there is evidence in adults, that patients with anxiety disorders are more sensitive to caffeine than controls. Another current study compares ANS activity and attention in boys with disgnoses of Conduct Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder.