| HEALTH >
Remembering your morning coffee
Written by: Galina Pembroke
Why do we remember some things and
forget others? One key factor may be concentration. Surprisingly,
another factor may be caffeine.
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A scapegoat's tale
Juan Valdez should be shown riding a goat instead
of a donkey. After all, it is a common consensus
that our enjoyment of today's java can be credited
to this cloven-hoofed wanderer. During the 12th century,
an abbot of an Islamic monastery noticed his goats
scampering and frolicking after returning from their
daily outing. The next day, he followed his herd
into the mountains, and noticed them munching excitedly
on the leaves of a certain small tree. Curious, he
too ate the leaves, and found that he had more energy.
Soon, he decided to make an infusion, and share it
with the other monks at the monastery. To them this
drink was known as k'hawah (the invigorating). To
us, coffee.
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COFFEE CRAVERS rely on caffeine's ability
to energize and cheer. Recently, researchers are finding that while
speeding up our heart rate, it also arouses our mind. Lee Ryan;
professor of psychology at the University of Arizona in the US,
says that caffeine's stimulant effects cause a boost in energy
that aids concentration. In a study published in Psychological
Science, Ryan found that seniors who drank coffee throughout the
day had less of a decline in memory than their decaffeinated peers.
His findings, published in 2002, are not unique. More importantly,
caffeine's mind-enhancing effects aren't restricted to those at
retirement age.
A 2000 report in Georgetown University's The Hoya, states that: "Students
are becoming increasingly dependent on caffeine for good grades,
peak athletic performance and mental alertness." This may
not seem like advisable, or intelligent, behavior. Isn't this coffee-compulsion
an unhealthy addiction? Actually, no. The International Food Information
Council states that "although caffeine is sometimes characterized
as addictive, moderate caffeine consumption (3-4 cups) is safe
and should not be classified with addictive drugs of abuse." Assuming
scientific and anecdotal evidence is correct, and caffeine does
indeed improve memory, it is reasonable to question how.
Some research suggests that caffeine actually changes the biology
of the brain. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute in Reholvet,
Israel, isolated dendritic spines (related to memory) from the
brains of rats, then added caffeine. The spines enlarged by a whopping
33%. Dr. Meneham Segal who conducted the study, explains: "We
are studying the spines because everybody assumes that they are
related to learning and memory. Intuitively, you would say that
the more spines there are, the better learner you are." In
practical terms, enlarging of these learning "spines" is
experienced as increased alertness. We don't need to rely on coffee
to generate this vitality; exercise is another way to swell these
conduits of energy and memory. Though exercise is healthier, drinking
down an espresso is more practical than a sweaty jog to your morning
meeting.
Caffeine's stimulating effects also reduce boredom, which is why
it's more visible at long conferences than skydiving lessons. This
excitement also assists learning. Memory consists of encoding,
storage and retrieval. Encoding a memory is like programming a
computer. However, being a person, information is more likely to
be "uploaded" if you're focused. Explains Segal: "Drinking
coffee could help improve learning because of increased attention
and arousal."
If drinking coffee or tea isn't your "bag" there are
other ways to recharge your memory mind:
- In March of 2002, Dr.
Andrew Scholey explained to BBC News how the act of chewing gum
may improve memory: "When you chew,
the body releases insulin, which is probably a conditioned response
that occurs in anticipation of a meal." Insulin receptors
are stored in the hippocampus; a crucial site for memory. Chewing
gum stimulates activity in this memory-minded region of our brains.
- American neurologist Dr. Kristin Yaffe led a research team
that studied the exercise habits of the elderly. They found that
for
each mile walked weekly, there was a 13% less chance of mental
decline.
- The Institute of Education in London found that listening
to soothing music can improve memory.
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