Coffee and the Brain

It’s no secret that many of history’s best and brightest have been coffee drinkers. From presidents to Olympic athletes, coffee fuels the minds that shape our society. But is there any correlation between brain health and coffee consumption? A question for the ages, maybe, and one that new studies might bring us closer to answering.

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, so it’s a particularly good time to consider how America’s favorite beverage relates to cognitive health and brain function as part of our overall health.

Studies have found that caffeine may strengthen neural connections in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Researchers at Johns Hopkins, in a study published by the journal Nature Neuroscience, found that caffeine enhanced memory for at least 24 hours after it was consumed. The researchers are interested in future research using brain-imaging to further explore the mechanisms behind coffee’s impacts on longevity and potential protective effects against cognitive decline.

In fact, some studies show that just the aroma of a fresh-brewed cup of coffee improves performance on analytical reasoning tasks. Researchers from Temple University and Baruch College found that study participants achieved significantly higher scores on a standardized test if the test was administered in a coffee-scented room.

In a second study, the same researchers identified that the effect could be associated with participants’ perceptions about the scent of coffee (which, of course, doesn’t contain caffeine). That is, participants believed they would feel more alert and energetic when smelling a coffee scent, compared to a flower scent or no scent. If getting out of bed in the morning requires analytical reasoning, I can certainly attest that the delicious scent of coffee helps me!

Many of the beneficial compounds in coffee that help coffee drinkers live longer, healthier, happier lives may have positive impacts on the central nervous system, including the brain. Research has shown that consumption of 2 cups of coffee per day is associated with 14% reduced risk of stroke, and drinking 3 cups per day is associated with an even greater reduced risk (17%).

Drinking coffee has also been associated with reduced risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and with reduced risk of depression. Researchers hypothesize that coffee’s association with improved mental health could relate to how digesting coffee impacts the body’s production and absorption of neurotransmitters.

If you were looking for a sign to grab another cup of your favorite brew, we’ve just given you several to think on!

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