Caffeine Can Help Your Memory

A caffeine jolt can give your memory a boost if you’re occasionally forgetful, suggests a recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

In fact, the caffeine benefits can last up to 24 hours, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. They asked people who normally don’t consume caffeinated products to study a series of images. Five minutes later the study participants were given either a tablet with 200 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to about two brewed cups of coffee) or a placebo. The next day both groups were tested on their ability to recognize what they saw the previous day, but with some new similar images added.

More of the caffeine consumers were able to distinguish between the two, compared with those who got placebos. This ability to recognize similar but not identical images is called pattern separation and reflects a deeper level of memory retention, according to the researchers.