| A recent study by researchers at the French | | | | subjects displayed a 33 percent lower risk of |
| National Institute of Medical Research finds | | | | having verbal memory declines and 18 percent |
| that coffee protects women from age-related | | | | lower risk of having visual and spatial |
| memory loss. The study tracked more than | | | | memory declines, in comparison to women who |
| 7,000 men and women living in three French | | | | drank one cup of coffee or less per day. This |
| cities. The researchers observed the | | | | effect also appeared to be related to age as |
| subjects' health and mental function and | | | | women over 80 had more benefits from caffeine |
| questioned them about their past and present | | | | drinks compared to others 10 to 15 years |
| eating habits, friends, and daily activities. | | | | younger. |
| The study found that the more coffee drank, | | | | |
| the better the effects appeared to be for | | | | Some research done with mice suggests that |
| women's memory function, however men did not | | | | caffeine might block the accumulation of |
| receive the same benefit. | | | | proteins that lead to mental decline. Dr. |
| | | | Ritchie claims that caffeine is a |
| According to lead researcher, Karen Ritchie, | | | | psychostimulant that reduces cognitive |
| the information gathered from the study was | | | | decline in women even after adjusting for |
| used to identify the specific impact of | | | | factors that could affect memory function |
| caffeine on certain aspects of women's lives. | | | | such as age, education, disability, |
| They found that women who drank more than | | | | depression and medications. So women take |
| three cups of coffee a day, or caffeine | | | | note : that one extra cup of coffee a day |
| equivalent in tea, were able to retain more | | | | just might keep your memory from going |
| of their verbal and, to a lesser extent, | | | | astray. |
| visual memories over four years. The female | | | | |