Association between coffee consumption and total dietary caffeine intake with cognitive functioning: cross-sectional assessment in an elderly Mediterranean population.

PURPOSE: Coffee is rich in compounds such as polyphenols, caffeine, diterpenes, melanoidins and trigonelline, which can stimulate brain activity. Therefore, the possible association of coffee consumption with cognition is of considerable research interest. In this paper, we assess the association of coffee consumption and total dietary caffeine intake with the risk of poor cognitive functioning in a population of elderly overweight/obese adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: PREDIMED-plus study participants who completed the Mini-Mental State Examination test (MMSE) (n = 6427; mean age = 65 ± 5 years) or a battery of neuropsychological tests were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Coffee consumption and total dietary caffeine intake were assessed at baseline using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the association between total, caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption or total dietary caffeine intake and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Total coffee consumers and caffeinated coffee consumers had better cognitive functioning than non-consumers when measured by the MMSE and after adjusting for potential confounders (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.44-0.90 and OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.38-0.83, respectively). Results were similar when cognitive performance was measured using the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and Trail Making Test B (TMT-B). These associations were not observed for decaffeinated coffee consumption. Participants in the highest tertile of total dietary caffeine intake had lower odds of poor cognitive functioning than those in the reference tertile when screened by the MMSE (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.87) or other neurophysiological tests evaluating a variety of cognitive domains (i.e., CDT and TMT-A). CONCLUSIONS: Coffee consumption and total dietary caffeine intake were associated with better cognitive functioning as measured by various neuropsychological tests in a Mediterranean cohort of elderly individuals with MetS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN89898870. Registration date: July 24, 2014.

Psychiatric morbidity among young-adults cannabis users.

This cross-sectional study aims to determine lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders (including substance use disorders, -SUD and other non substance use disorders, -Non-SUD) among 289 young (18- 30 years) regular cannabis users, during the last year, in non-clinical settings in Barcelona. The Spanish version of the Psychiatric Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders (PRISM) was administered. Only 28% of the participants did not present any psychiatric disorder; while 65% had some SUD, the most common related to cannabis use (62%). Nearly 27% presented a non-SUD disorder. A younger age of initiation on alcohol use was associated with the presence of some SUD. Having consumed a greater number of "joints" in the last month was associated with the presence of both psychiatric disorders (SUD and non-SUD). While three quarters of subjects with non-SUD disorders had received some kind of treatment, only 28% of those with any SUD had received treatment. Given the low perception for need of treatment, there is a need for prevention strategies and to be able to offer therapies specifically tailored targeting young cannabis users.

Psychometric properties of the CAST and SDS scales in young adult cannabis users.

AIM: To assess the validity of two cannabis use severity scales among young cannabis users and to evaluate their ability to detect Substance Use Disorders (SUD). PARTICIPANTS: 241 volunteers (18-25 years), with a wide spectrum of cannabis use in the last 12 months. MEASUREMENTS: The Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) and Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) were self-administered. The Psychiatric Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders (PRISM) was used as gold standard for cannabis use disorders according to DSM-IV. Reliability and validity were assessed for two different CAST coding algorithms (b-binary and f-full) and for the SDS. In addition, the cannabis use diagnostic criteria contained in the PRISM were grouped to approximate forthcoming proposed DSM-V criteria to further evaluate these scales. FINDINGS: 26.6% (95% CI: 21.0-32.2) of the subjects met criteria for cannabis dependence, and 49.0% (95% CI: 42.7-55.3) for cannabis use disorders. For both scales internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha>0.71) and test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients (>0.80) were good. The score 12 in the CAST-full discriminated better than others between presence and absence of dependence (27.0%; 95% CI: 21.4-32.6) while the score for discrimination of SUD was 9 (51.5%; 95% CI: 45.1-57.8). For the SDS the values were 7 (22.0%; 95% CI: 16.8-27.2) and 3 (64.7%; 95% CI: 58.7-70.8), respectively. According to proposed DSM-V criteria, for moderate and severe addiction the values for the CAST-f were 7 (68.5%; 95% CI: 62.5-74.3) and 12 (27%; 95% CI: 21.3-32.6) and for the SDS, 3 (65.0%; 95% CI: 58.7-70.8) and 7 (22%; 95% CI: 17.0-34.3), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The CAST and SDS applied to young cannabis users are reliable and valid measures to detect cannabis use disorders when compared to both DSM-IV and proposed DSM-V criteria.