The memory of a person can be improved through the consumption of fizzy soft drinks, according to a new research study. The neuroscientists belonging to the Glasgow Caledonian University have revealed that drinking the equivalent of two cans of soft drink can boost memory retention by a fifth and combat dementia in older people.
Psychology lecturer Dr Leigh Riby, who led the research, said people studying for exams could benefit from increasing the amount of sugar in their diet. He focused on an area of the brain known as the hippocampus, which creates new memories but declines with the onset of dementia. Dr Riby used a series of memory tests and brain- imaging techniques to assess how volunteers responded after guzzling sugary drinks.He found the hippocampus lit up with activity after participants had a sweetened drink and they were able to recall 17% more than without a drink. There has been an evolution in the glucose-memory system for the survival of the human race, which old age serves to compromise. Twenty-five volunteers aged between 18 and 52 years old took part in the study and were asked to remember a list of words.
Those that drank orange-flavored water containing 25grams of sugar, about the same as a can of Coca-Cola, could remember 11% more words. If the participants consumed twice that amount of sugar, they showed a 17% improvement.
Edited (ANI)
