Study shows caffeine may boost long-term memory
A new study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that a dose of caffeine may enhance certain memories at least a day after they were formed. According to the research team, it's the first time that a study looks into the impacts of caffeine on long-term memory. It analyzed 160 participants and their capacity to remember old, new and similar pictures the following day. Some were given a pill containing either 200mg of caffeine, roughly equivalent to 5 cups of tea, or a placebo tablet. Researchers found that subjects who were given caffeine were better at identifying similar pictures, compared to those who were given a placebo. According to scientists, the brain's ability to recognize the difference between two similar but not identical items reflects a deep level of memory discrimination.