Study Green tea supports the brain

Cognitive performance increases with green tea extract

08/04/2014

Green tea has a positive effect on the brain or its cognitive functions. The research team led by Professor Christoph Beglinger from the University Hospital Basel and Professor Stefan Borgwardt from the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel came to this conclusion in a recent study. The study was published in the specialist magazine „ Psychopharmacology“. The new findings have „Great potential to improve the treatment of mental disorders such as dementia“, This is the message from the University of Basel.

According to the researchers, green tea is one of the most studied foods in recent years. In many cases, its ingredients have been studied in the past, for example by cancer research, the university reports. In the current study, the Swiss scientists were mainly interested in the influence of the drink on the human brain. Previous studies have already shown several positive effects of green tea on cognitive performance, but their underlying neuronal mechanisms remained unclear. The results of their study, researchers in the journal „Psychopharmacology“ released.

Increased connectivity in the brain of subjects
As part of their study, the Swiss scientists administered a soft drink containing several grams of green tea extract to a number of male volunteers. Subsequently, the study participants were to solve memory problems and concomitantly their brain activity was monitored by means of magnetic resonance tomography (MRI). Here, the researchers posed „a significantly increased connectivity between the parietal and frontal cortex“ firm, reports the University of Basel. This increased connectivity correlated positively with the cognitive performance of the subjects. Their test scores were significantly better on average. Professor Stefan Borgwardt stressed that „The study results indicate a positive influence of green tea on the short-term plasticity, ie the short-term adjustment of the transmission strength of the synapses of the brain.“ The so-called working memory benefits considerably from the consumption of the green tea extract. The cognitive functions of the brain had improved significantly.

Green tea as a remedy for dementia?
The researchers conclude that the current study results "have great potential for clinical use". For example, in their opinion „Research into connectivity between brain regions during the processing of work memory tasks helps to assess the effectiveness of green tea in the treatment of cognitive impairment in neuropsychiatric conditions such as dementia.“ In the future, the natural ingredients of green tea may make a decisive contribution to the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases. (Fp)