A Possible Perk for Coffee Addicts: Better Long-Term Memory

Researchers have provided another reason to embrace our coffee addictions, with a new study suggesting caffeine may improve long-term memory.

learn more about Laura Entis

By Laura Entis

Shutterstock

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

There are already plenty of reasons to keep your caffeine addiction alive and kicking: habitual coffee drinkers are less likely to die of heart failure as those who don't indulge, and research has suggested that caffeine may help prevent cancer, diabetes, stroke, and Parkinson's disease.

But the stimulant's most important perk is intuitive: it boosts both short-term memory and focus, energizing us when we should, by all rights, be asleep at our desks.

And now there's another reason to grab your morning cup of coffee: A recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that caffeine may also boost our long-term memory.

Related: Starbucks Now Offers Fizz as a Customized Add-On In Some Shops

Researchers conducted a double-blind trial, in which they gave participants 100 to 300 milligrams of caffeine five minutes after they looked at a series of images. The next day, the group who received 200 (the equivalent of one strong cup of coffee) or 300 milligrams of caffeine were able to more accurately identify when a picture was similar, but a little different, from the one they had seen before.

While the results are a little murky (the group who received the placebo performed better than those who only received 100 milligrams of caffeine), the study's authors still suspect they're onto something.

"We've always known that caffeine has cognitive-enhancing effects, but its particular effects on strengthening memories and making them resistant to forgetting has never been examined in detail in humans," Yassa, senior author of the paper, told Johns Hopkins' news network. "We report for the first time a specific effect of caffeine on reducing forgetting over 24 hours."

Related: 3 Easy Tricks to Improve Your Memory

Laura Entis
Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Culture

Remote Work Doesn't Have To Suffocate Your Company Culture. Here's How to Foster a Stellar Digital Culture

How do you encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking digitally? By fostering a dynamic and supportive company culture.

Legal

How to Negotiate a Commercial Agreement Like a Pro

No matter the industry, negotiating is crucial to finding the fairest deal possible.