- Researchers compared the neurological effects of coffee and caffeine consumption.
- They found that coffee, but not caffeine consumption increases brain activity linked to visual processing and higher-level cognitive function.
- The findings mean that some key benefits of drinking coffee may not be related to caffeine.
Could your morning cup of coffee be a placebo when it comes to boosting alertness and performance? That may be the case, according to a new study that compared the effects of drinking coffee vs. consuming caffeine only.
Many people drink coffee first thing in the morning to overcome fatigue, stay alert and work effectively. Around
Coffee contains various compounds that affect the brain in different ways. Caffeine is the most well-known of these compounds and is known to activate dopamine pathways that boost memory.
However, while much is known about the neurochemical effects of coffee on the brain, less is understood about its psychological effects.
For example, some research shows that while coffee may affect cognitive performance in non-habitual drinkers, it has less effect on habitual drinkers as they develop a tolerance.
The same research suggests that a large part of coffee’s and caffeine’s invigorating effects may be explained via the reversal of withdrawal symptoms from short periods of abstinence.
Further research into how coffee affects the brain could improve understanding of what motivates people to drink it.
Recently, researchers compared fMRI data from habitual coffee drinkers before and after consuming coffee or caffeine.
They found that both coffee and caffeine caused changes in brain activity, decreasing “the connectivity of the default mode network.” This suggests that consuming either caffeine or coffee helped people transition from resting to working on tasks, according to a press release.
However, researchers also…
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