Caffeine is Memory Enhancer

Filed in archive Studies , Treatment on July 17, 2006

Coffee has been found not a harm to the heart in the long term and has been linked to reduced risk of diabetes. Some are starting to call coffee the new wonder drug.

It seems more wonders of coffee are still to come...

A University of Birmingham research reported last week at the annual meeting of the Physiological Society, suggests that caffeine can boost the nerve cell activity of the brain potentially protecting against memory loss.

This new study result on caffeine effect is a potential key to enhancing memory performance in the elderly and will be seen as good news to the coffee, tea, energy and stimulant drinks industries.

"Some people can't get started without a cup of coffee; others need a shot of Red Bull to keep going. Research has shown that it increases alertness, cortical activity and speeds up information processing," said lead researcher Dr Martin Vreugdenhil.

This is definitely true for me. I cannot start a day without coffee and cannot seem to concentrate on reading and writing without my regular caffeine fix, which is about 3-5 cups a day.

By binding to brain receptors, thereby blocking the calming effect of the adenosine neurotransmitter, caffeine might be enhancing memory as shown in previous studies.

Adenosine levels in the brain increase during the day and are especially high in the elderly. When adenosine binds to a so-called A1 receptor it decreases activity of nerve cells, but when it binds to an A2a receptor it boosts activity.

The University of Birmingham researchers found that caffeine can boost so-called gamma rhythms by more than three times its normal value, according to the results of a study performed with mice brains.

Read more at NutraIngredients.