They further noted that coffee consumption, but not caffeine consumption, significantly decreased connectivity between somatosensory and motor networks of the brain. The researchers noted that decreased DMN indicates higher preparedness to switch from resting to task-context processing. The DMN is associated with “self-referential processes when participants are at rest” as noted by the authors. Ultimately, the researchers found that both coffee and caffeine reduced functional connectivity, in the default mode network (DMN). During the fMRI scans, participants were asked to relax and let their minds wander. Once in the lab, the participants underwent two fMRI scans: one before and one 30 minutes after taking caffeine or drinking a cup of coffee. They were an average of 30 years old, and 31 were women.Īll participants were asked to abstain from consuming caffeinated drinks or food for at least three hours before participating in the study.
caffeine only?įor the study, the researchers recruited 47 people who drank at least one cup of coffee per day. What are the effects of consuming coffee vs. Among these other mechanisms, they mention the whole experience of drinking coffee- that might involve some placebo effect, expectations, and even withdrawal, which were not investigated in the study.” “The authors concluded that part of the common effects attributed to coffee might be related to mechanisms other than caffeine itself. Antonio Teixeira, professor of psychiatry and director of the Neuropsychiatry Program at UTHealth Houston, not involved in the study, told Medical News Today: This may be due to the sensory experience of drinking coffee of other compounds present in coffee.ĭr. However, researchers also found that other modes of activity are exclusively increased among coffee drinkers. They found that both coffee and caffeine caused changes in brain activity, decreasing “the connectivity of the default mode network.”Īccording to a press release, this suggests that consuming either caffeine or coffee helped people transition from resting to working on tasks. Recently, researchers compared fMRI data from habitual coffee drinkers before and after consuming coffee or caffeine. 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.įurther research into how coffee affects the brain could improve understanding of what motivates people to drink it. While much is known about the neurochemical effects of coffee on the brain, less is understood about its psychological effects.įor 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 study’s findings appear in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. Caffeine is the most well-known of these compounds and is known to activate dopamine pathways that boost memory. Around 75% of the United States population ages 20 and over drink coffee, and approximately 49% drink coffee daily.Ĭoffee contains various compounds that affect the brain in different ways. Many people drink coffee first thing in the morning to overcome fatigue, stay alert and work effectively. That may be the case, according to a new study that compared the effects of drinking coffee vs. The findings mean that some key benefits of drinking coffee may not be related to caffeine.Ĭould your morning cup of coffee be a placebo when it comes to boosting alertness and performance?.They found that coffee, but not caffeine consumption increases brain activity linked to visual processing and higher-level cognitive function.Researchers compared the neurological effects of coffee and caffeine consumption.Share on Pinterest Drinking coffee may have different effects on the brain compared to taking caffeine alone, a study finds.
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