Inhibitory effects of caffeine on hippocampal neurogenesis and function

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 May 18;356(4):976-80. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.03.086. Epub 2007 Mar 26.

Abstract

Caffeine is one of the most extensively consumed psychostimulants in the world. However, compared to short-term effects of caffeine, the long-term effects of caffeine consumption on learning and memory are poorly characterized. The present study found that long-term consumption of low dose caffeine (0.3 g/L) slowed hippocampus-dependent learning and impaired long-term memory. Caffeine consumption for 4 weeks also significantly reduced hippocampal neurogenesis compared to controls. From these results, we concluded that long-term consumption of caffeine could inhibit hippocampus-dependent learning and memory partially through inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caffeine / administration & dosage*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / physiology*
  • Maze Learning / drug effects*
  • Neural Inhibition / drug effects*
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Caffeine