Drinking cup after cup of coffee dramatically increase the risk of hallucinating, new British research shows.
Healthy young men and women who had more than seven cups of instant coffee a day as a part of a Durham University study were three times more likely to hear or see things that were not there than those who limited their intake to less than a cup.
It is thought that caffeine boosts levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
Confirming the link could lead to new treatments for those who suffer severe hallucinations, including schizophrenics, some victims of child abuse and the recently bereaved.