According to researchers in Austria, consuming the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee, 100 milligrams, increases brain activity in the frontal lobe – that is where your short term memory is. They found increased activity in the anterior cingulum as well – this area controls your attention.

The study was carried out by a team led by Dr. Florian Koppelstatter, the Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.

Dr. Koppelstatter said “We are able to see that caffeine exerts increases in neuronal activity in distinct parts of the brain going along with changes in behavior.”

The volunteers had to spend 12 hours without consuming any caffeine or nicotine. They were then given 100 milligrams of caffeine and asked to perform short-term memory tests. The researchers found that after consuming the caffeine, the participants not only had better short-term memories, but also had faster reaction times.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today