BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by impaired attention. L-theanine, an amino acid in tea, and caffeine, present in tea and coffee, improve attention in healthy adults. AIM: To investigate the acute effects of L-theanine-caffeine combination on selective attention, compared to methylphenidate and placebo, in adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, three-way crossover trial, 21 adolescents with ADHD (age: 10-19 years, 18 boys) performed a computerized visual recognition reaction-time task before and 50 min after each treatment on three separate days. Participants responded to downward-pointing triangles (20% probability) while ignoring upward-pointing triangles (80%). The behavioral outcome measures were hits, false alarms, target-distractor discrimination sensitivity (A'), and hit reaction time. EEG was recorded during the task, and amplitudes and latencies of P3b event-related potentials elicited by targets in centro-parietal electrodes were measured. Pre- and post-dose changes were compared between treatments. RESULTS: < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry identifier: SLCTR/2023/004.
Nawarathna et al. (Thu,) studied this question.