(01-10-12) Scientists discover green tea boosts brain cell production, aids memory

by Sherry Baker, Health Sciences Editor

(NaturalNews) If you think drinking green tea seems to make your thinking more
clear, you probably aren't imagining it. Research just published in the journal
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research reveals natural properties of green tea
actually affect the generation of new brain cells linked to improved memory and
spatial learning. This adds to the growing list of documented green tea
benefits which include building stronger bones and potentially fighting
prostate cancer.

"Green tea is a popular beverage across the world," scientist Yun Bai from the
Third Military Medical University in Chongqing, China, said in a media
statement. "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"

Professor Bai's research team zeroed in on the organic chemical EGCG,
(epigallocatechin-3 gallate), a key property of green tea. Researchers have
long known that EGCG is a potent anti-oxidant and the Chinese scientists wanted
to see if the natural compound has a specific, beneficial effect against age-
related degenerative diseases, especially those that cause problems with brain
function.

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

The research showed that, in fact, EGCG boosts the production of neural
progenitor cells. Like stem cells, these brain cells can turn into various
types of cells. In order to see if this increased brain cell production could
boost memory or spatial learning, the scientists ran tests on two groups of lab
mice. One group was given EGCG from green tea in a drink and the other group
didn't receive the EGCG. Then the mice were trained for three days to find a
visible platform in their maze and also trained for seven days to find a hidden
platform.

The scientists discovered that the mice who had had imbibed EGCG from green
tea needed far less time to find the hidden platform. Bottom line: EGCG
enhances learning and memory by improving object recognition as well as 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," Dr.
Bai concluded. "This helps us to understand the potential for EGCG, and green
tea which contains it, to help combat degenerative diseases and memory loss."

While the new study involved mice, it raises the distinct possibility that
green tea could hold the key to treat memory problems in humans -- something
Big Pharma's chemical drug concoctions have failed to do successfully.

Source for this article include:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.201200035/abstract

http://www.naturalnews.com/027194_tea_green.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/029059_red_wine_prostate_cancer.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/023375_tea_green.html

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