Chocolate may boost brain power

	Tweet

Chocolate lovers rejoice. A new study hints that eating milk chocolate may boost brain function.

“Chocolate contains many substances that act as stimulants, such as theobromine, phenethylamine, and caffeine,” Dr. Bryan Raudenbush from Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia noted in comments to Reuters Health.

“These substances by themselves have previously been found to increase alertness and attention and what we have found is that by consuming chocolate you can get the stimulating effects, which then lead to increased mental performance.”

To study the effects of various chocolate types on brain power, Raudenbush and colleagues had a group of volunteers consume, on four separate occasions, 85 grams of milk chocolate; 85 grams of dark chocolate; 85 grams of carob; and nothing (the control condition).

After a 15-minute digestive period, participants completed a variety of computer-based neuropsychological tests designed to assess cognitive performance including memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem solving.

“Composite scores for verbal and visual memory were significantly higher for milk chocolate than the other conditions,” Raudenbush told Reuters Health. And consumption of milk and dark chocolate was associated with improved impulse control and reaction time.

Previous research has shown that some nutrients in food aid in glucose release and increased blood flow, which may augment cognitive performance. The current findings, said Raudenbush, “provide support for nutrient release via chocolate consumption to enhance cognitive performance.”

RELATED STORIES:
Brain Differences Found in People with Migraine   New Gene Identified for Condition that Causes Blood Clots in Brain   UT Southwestern researchers identify site in brain where leptin may trigger puberty   Short Stressful Events May Improve Working Memory   Fearful body posture tells others: run!   Drinking coffee, having sex are triggers that raise rupture risks for brain aneurysm   Could Deep Brain Stimulation Improve Lung Function?   More Evidence That Alzheimer’s Disease May Be Inherited from Your Mother   Reagan focused attention on Alzheimer’s research   Cell phone use may have effect on brain activity, but health consequences unknown   Scientists map new mechanism in brain’s barrier tissue   Staring, sleepiness, other mental lapses more likely in patients with Alzheimer’s

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]