Scholars at Australia’s La Trobe University just released a study showing a correlation between caffeine intake and auditory hallucinations.

In layman’s terms: Lots of coffee might make you more likely to hear things that aren’t there.

read about it here:  http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/06/08/coffee_hallucinations

and here is the study:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019188691000591X

Summing up the results from the experiment, Professor Simon Crowe concluded:

There is a link between high levels of stress and psychosis, and caffeine was found to correlate with hallucination proneness. The combination of caffeine and stress affect the likelihood of an individual experiencing a psychosis-like symptom.

It would be prudent to note that correlation isn’t the same as causation, and this study merely suggests the former.

This isn’t the first instance of scientists finding a link between caffeine intake and hallucinations. An even more alarming study was published in 2009, claiming that individuals who drink the equivalent of 315 milligrams of caffeine — that’s three cups of brewed coffee, or seven of the instant variety — are three times more likely to hear and see things that aren’t actually there.

http://www.livescience.com/3230-caffeine-hallucinations.html

Thanks to H.G.P. for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.