Protective effect of low dose caffeine on psychological stress and cognitive function

Abstract Introduction Caffeine is an adrenergic antagonist that enhances neuronal activity. Psychological stress depresses cognitive function. Aim To investigate the effects of acute and chronic low dose caffeine on anxiety-like behavior and cognitive functions of acute or chronic psychological stressed rats. Material-method Acute or chronic caffeine (3 mg/kg) was administered to male Sprague Dawley rats (200–250 g, n = 42) before acute (cat odor) and chronic variable psychological stress (restraint overcrowding stress, elevated plus maze, cat odor, forced swimming) induction. Anxiety and cognitive functions were evaluated by hole-board and object recognition tests. The brain glutathione and malondialdehyde assays, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), luminol and lucigenin activity and histological examination were done. ANOVA and Student's t -test were used for statistical analysis. Results The depressed cognitive function with chronic stress exposure and the increased anxiety-like behavior with both stress inductions were improved via both caffeine applications (p  Conclusion The increased anxiety-like behavior and depleted cognitive functions under stress conditions were improved with both acute and predominantly chronic caffeine pretreatments by decreasing oxidative damage parameters.