Green tea - fuel for the brain
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
It has long been believed that green tea improves memory. Now scientists have found out how the chemical properties of the national Chinese drink stimulate the production of brain cells and thereby improve memory and spatial thinking.
"Green tea is popular all over the world," said Professor Yun Bai from the Third University of Military Medicine in Chongqing, China. "A lot of research has been done to study the ability of green tea to prevent cardiovascular disease, and now there is evidence that the chemical properties of the drink can affect the cellular mechanisms in the brain."
Professor Bai and his colleagues drew attention to the organic chemical compound epigallocatechin gallate, which is rich in green tea. Epigallocatechin gallate is a known antioxidant, but the researchers concluded that, in addition, this type of catechin can help in the fight against age-related degenerative diseases.
"We hypothesized that epigallocatechin gallate positively affects human cognitive function because it stimulates the production of neuronal cells, that is, accelerates the process known as neurogenesis," Professor Bai explains. - We focused our attention on the hippocampus. This is part of the brain, which serves as a conductor between short-term and long-term memory. "
The assumptions of the scientists were justified. The researchers found that epigallocatechin gallate increases the production of neuronal progenitor cells. Then the scientists used the experimental mice to find out whether this process in the brain affects memory and spatial thinking.
"We conducted experiments on two groups of mice, one of which was exposed to epigallocatechin gallate," Bai said. - First, the mice were taught for three days to find the object visible in their eyes in the labyrinth. Then they were trained for seven days so that they could find the hidden object. "
It turned out that mice, who received a dose of epigallocatechin gallate, quickly found the hidden object in comparison with their "ordinary" relatives.
"We proved that the organic chemical compound of epigallocatechin gallate directly affects the production of neuronal progenitor cells," Bai summed up. "This will help us understand the potential of this catechin, as well as the green tea that contains it, in terms of preventing memory impairment and the development of degenerative age-related diseases."
[1]