The effects of caffeine on emotional processing: An ERP study
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1
University of Newcastle, School of Psychology, Australia
Aims: Research on the effects of caffeine on attention related processing has provided evidence that caffeine increases arousal, particularly in suboptimal conditions. This has been reflected in increased peak amplitudes and shorter latencies of ERPs and these have been linked to attentional processing. Research on emotional processing has also shown that ERP amplitudes are enhanced in response to stimuli that have emotional value and that are particularly arousing.The aim of this study was to explore the effect of caffeine on emotional processing using event related potentials. Method: Sixteen females aged between 18 and 35 participated in the study. All participants completed two experimental sessions in which they were given either caffeine (200mg) or a placebo under double blind conditions. Participants viewed both high and low arousing pleasant, unpleasant and neutral stimuli (IAPS) while EEG activity was recorded from Affective picture viewing was used as a means to induce emotional processing while ERP components measured were recorded from ten sites. Results: N1, N2, and P3 peak amplitudes and latencies were analysed for the effects of caffeine on arousal and valence. P3 amplitude was enhanced in pleasant and unpleasant conditions but not neutral conditions. This enhancement was greater under caffeine conditions than under placebo conditions and this was to an even greater degree when caffeine was administered. Caffeine generally flattened the expected valence and arousal effects compared to placebo for N1 and N2 amplitude. Conclusions: The results support the negativity-bias model of emotional processing. The differential effects of caffeine on the early and late components of the ERP suggest that caffeine acts differentially on early and later attentional and emotional processes.
Keywords:
ERPs,
Caffeine,
emotional processing,
Negativity bias,
Arousal
Conference:
ASP2013 - 23rd Annual meeting of the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Wollongong, Australia, 20 Nov - 22 Nov, 2013.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
Emotion
Citation:
Martin
FH and
Hayes
E
(2013). The effects of caffeine on emotional processing: An ERP study.
Conference Abstract:
ASP2013 - 23rd Annual meeting of the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.213.00011
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Received:
05 Nov 2013;
Published Online:
05 Nov 2013.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Frances H Martin, University of Newcastle, School of Psychology, Ourimbah, NSW, 2258, Australia, Frances.Martin@newcastle.edu.au