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A Cup of Joe Can Improve Short-Term Memory
Back in 2005, Researchers at Medical University at Innsbruck, Austria, completed a small study showing the effects of caffeine on brain function. The study’s lead author, Florian Koppelstätter, M.D., Ph.D., radiology fellow at Medical University Innsbruck in Austria explains: “We were able to show that caffeine modulates a higher brain function through its effects on distinct areas of the brain.”
15 volunteers included in the study were each asked to refrain from caffeine and nicotine consumption for at least 24 hours and fast for 4-6 hours prior to the study. During the study, volunteers were given either a 100mg caffeine drink or a caffeine-free placebo drink. After 20 minutes, volunteers underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participating in a memory and concentration test to evaluate their brain function.
During the study, volunteers who were given caffeine prior to the test showed improved short-term memory and reaction time, Koppelstätter reveals: “those who received caffeine had significantly greater activation in parts of the prefrontal lobe, known as the anterior cingulate and the anterior cingulate gyrus. These areas are involved in ‘executive memory’, attention, concentration, planning and monitoring.”
While the results are promising, Koppelstätter doesn’t suggest upping your intake just yet, “We can demonstrate that caffeine exerts influence on the function of the normal brain, but we still need to learn more about caffeine’s effect on mental resources.”
15 volunteers included in the study were each asked to refrain from caffeine and nicotine consumption for at least 24 hours and fast for 4-6 hours prior to the study. During the study, volunteers were given either a 100mg caffeine drink or a caffeine-free placebo drink. After 20 minutes, volunteers underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participating in a memory and concentration test to evaluate their brain function.
During the study, volunteers who were given caffeine prior to the test showed improved short-term memory and reaction time, Koppelstätter reveals: “those who received caffeine had significantly greater activation in parts of the prefrontal lobe, known as the anterior cingulate and the anterior cingulate gyrus. These areas are involved in ‘executive memory’, attention, concentration, planning and monitoring.”
While the results are promising, Koppelstätter doesn’t suggest upping your intake just yet, “We can demonstrate that caffeine exerts influence on the function of the normal brain, but we still need to learn more about caffeine’s effect on mental resources.”
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