GREEN TEA BOOSTS BRAIN POWER

As reported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science via the EurekAlert! news service, recent research from China helps explain the neurological benefits of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), found in green tea—and specifically how it helps improve memory and spatial learning (see “Brainy beverage: Study reveals how green tea boosts brain cell production to aid memory”). The results of this research were published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Aug. 2012, 56(8):1,292-1,303).

“Green tea is a popular beverage across the world,” says Dr. Yun Bai, professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China, in the EurekAlert! announcement. “There has been plenty of scientific attention on its use in helping prevent cardiovascular diseases, but now there is emerging evidence that its chemical properties may impact cellular mechanisms in the brain.”

Bai and his research team focused on EGCG, the most-abundant catechin in green tea and a known antioxidant.

“We proposed that EGCG can improve cognitive function by impacting the generation of neuron cells, a process known as neurogenesis,” says Bai. “We focused our research on the hippocampus, the part of the brain which processes information from short-term to long-term memory.”

Results showed that ECGC boosts the production of neural progenitor cells, which—like stem cells—can adapt, or differentiate, into various types of cells. The team then used laboratory mice to determine if this increased cell production led to improved memory or spatial learning. The mice were trained for three days to find a visible platform in a maze, and then for seven days to find a hidden platform. Mice treated with ECGC required less time to find the hidden platform.

Overall the results revealed that EGCG enhances learning and memory by improving object recognition and spatial memory. “We have shown that the organic chemical EGCG acts directly to increase the production of neural progenitor cells, both in glass tests and in mice,” says Bai. “This helps us to understand the potential for EGCG, and green tea which contains it, to help combat degenerative diseases and memory loss.”