Bern-Sana
A recent Swiss study revealed that drinking a large amount of coffee regularly changes the structure of the brain, as it reduces the volume of gray matter in it, which leads to a weakening of the ability to process information.
The British newspaper, the Daily Mail, stated that the study conducted by researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, included 20 young men, each of whom was given three caffeine tablets of 150 milligrams per day, an amount equivalent to about four or five small cups of coffee, for a period of 10 days.
The researchers performed magnetic resonance imaging scans of the participants' brains and found a significant reduction in gray matter, which is found in the outer layer of the brain and works on processing information.
The researchers noted that this surprising reduction in gray matter was particularly present in the right temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, an area of the brain essential for strengthening memory.
The researchers emphasized that this effect is temporary, as depriving participants of caffeine for 10 days reversed these changes.
"Our results confirm that consuming a large amount of caffeine daily clearly affects our cognitive systems, and this matter needs more future studies of its importance," said Dr. Caroline Reichert, who was involved in the study.
The researchers also examined the participants' sleep quality using an EEG and explained that they were surprised when they found that consuming caffeine as part of the study did not result in a lack of sleep, as it was found that the depth of sleep of the participants was equal during the study period in which they consumed caffeine and during the period during which they did not consume it. .