Cognitive Labs

The rich latte, double decaf with a twist, americano, or hand-picked, massaged, rinsed, organic, towel-dried super-premium ecophreak blend may alter the activity of some genes in the brain, reducing the effects of sleep deprivation, even if you don't imbibe the liquid.

As LiveScience reports, coffee has been a part of the human diet for more than 1,000 years, and is now the most widely consumed beverage worldwide.

Scientists have conducted numerous studies that investigate both the beneficial and adverse effects that coffee can have on health, from the antioxidants it possesses to the possible detriments of too much caffeine. Much of coffee's lift has been attributed to its caffeine content.

Dr. Han-Seok Seo and colleagues at Seoul National University allowed lab rats, some of which were stressed by sleep deprivation, to inhale the aroma of coffee. The researchers then compared the expression of certain genes and proteins in the rats' brains. Some of the genes expressed in the coffee-sniffing, stressed rats expressed proteins that have healthful antioxidant properties known to protect nerve cells from stress-related damage. Their stressed out counterparts who weren't allowed to smell coffee didn't show these gene expressions.

More from LiveScience

Labels: brain, caffeine, coffee, genes

Having three cups of coffee a day can significantly reduce the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, say researchers.

A ten-year study of 600 elderly men found those getting a regular caffeine fix experienced a much smaller decline in their mental abilities than non coffee-drinkers.

The results support earlier studies that show coffee has a protective effect on the brain.

Researchers believe caffeine may trigger a chain reaction in the brain that prevents the damage of Alzheimer's.

In a report on their findings, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, they raised the possibility that doctors may one day recommend coffee to the elderly.

"Drinking three cups a day was associated with the smallest cognitive decline," they said."

Labels: alzheimers, coffee, cups

Just like Elmer Fudd's hair tonic in the Looney Tunes version of the The Barber of Seville, new research shows that Coffee can help balding men regrow their hair or slow the pace of hair loss. Furthermore, in mice, coffee has been shown to enhance neuronal action by accelerating the oscillation of a structure that regulates chemical supplement releases into the brain...

Labels: brain, coffee