UEFS 2017/1

TEXTO:

[1] According to a study published in the Journal of

Nutrition, the caffeine in coffee might offer not just a

momentary mental boost but also longer-term effects on

thinking skills.

[5] In the study, researchers compared scores on

various tests of thinking skills and memory with caffeine,

alcohol, and nutrient intake in 727 men and women. The

reason you get a quick wakeup call after chugging a

mug of coffee has to do with the way caffeine tricks your

[10] brain. Not only is caffeine a brain stimulant, but it also

blocks receptors for a chemical called adenosine, which

normally prevents the release of excitatory brain

chemicals. With adenosine out of the way, these

brain-sparking chemicals can flow more freely — giving

[15] you a surge of energy and potentially improving mental

performance and slowing age-related mental decline.

The study showed that people—particularly those

who were ages 70 and over—who took in more caffeine

scored better on tests of mental function, but not on

[20] memory tests or other measures of mental ability.

When it comes to alcohol, its effects on memory

and thinking skills may depend on how they are measured

and how much you’re drinking. In this study, moderate

alcohol use appeared to improve working memory and

[25] attention — especially in women and in those ages 70

and over. But those benefits could come at the expense

of declines in skills like executive function and global

thinking.

Excessive drinking, defined as more than two drinks

[30] a day for men or more than one a day for women, is

known to harm the brain. Over time, excessive drinking

can cause everything from short-term memory lapses to

more permanent problems.

The study also looked at the connection between

[35] diet and mental performance. People who ate foods with

plenty of healthful nutrients had better attention and

memory than participant with poorer diets. A healthy diet

was also linked to good thinking skills in women and

participants under age 70. In particular, foods that are

[40] part of the Mediterranean diet — fruits, vegetables, nuts,

fish, olive oil, and whole grains — show promise for

preserving memory and preventing Alzheimer’s and other

forms of dementia.

WATSON,Women’s health watch.Disponível em: . Acesso em:12 out. 2016.