Whether coffee, cola, or tea, caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the World. If you are a coffee enthusiast, you may want to know if your coffee intake has any bad effects on your brain.
Scientists at the University of Basel have discovered changes in the gray matter of the brain with regular coffee consumption. However, the effect remains temporary. The study was published on the Cerebral Cortex magazine.
Effects of Coffee on Brain: The Research
The study involved 20 people who drink coffee daily for 10 days. Scientists gave the specimens caffeine pills (or placebo).
At the end of the study period, the gray matter volume of the subjects was assessed using a brain scan. Scientists also used EEG to track the sleep quality of the subjects.
What Did the Study Show?
Despite the fact that subjects in both groups received the same amount of sleep, the participants who took the placebo had higher brain gray matter volume than those who took caffeine.
The difference was especially noticeable in the right medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory consolidation.
The study showed that while sleep remained unaffected, caffeine significantly affected the gray matter.
Scientists suggested that caffeine reduces the volume of gray matter. However, after just 10 days of abstinence from coffee, brain tissue restored.
Related: 10 Foods Your Brain Loves the Most.
Good News for Coffee Lovers
The researchers stressed that the results of the work did not indicate a harmful effect of coffee on the brain. However, as coffee consumption interacts with the brain negatively, though it seemed temporary, a reduction in daily coffee intake is definitely better.
So, are you a coffee lover? Do you drink coffee frequently? After reading about this study, are you looking forward to reducing your daily coffee intake? We would love to learn about your thoughts.