Comparison of Drinking Coffee and Caffeinated Water
"Caffeinated water also induces alertness,
but coffee brings a higher level of arousal"
A recent study has found that the act of drinking coffee itself induces a so-called 'placebo effect,' leading to arousal effects.
On the 28th (local time), according to the British Daily Mail, research results on the arousal effects of coffee were published in the international academic journal 'Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.' Researchers from the University of Haume in Portugal conducted a study to determine whether the arousal effect of 'morning coffee' is due to the caffeine content in coffee or the experience of drinking coffee itself.
Dr. Maria Pico-Perez, a specialist in basic psychology and clinical psychobiology, stated, "For many people, the day begins only after having a cup of morning coffee. While coffee is the most sought-after beverage to wake up and enhance work and study efficiency, morning coffee can act as a kind of placebo effect."
The research team recruited individuals who drink at least one cup of coffee per day. Then, after these participants drank a cup of coffee and, on another occasion, drank hot water containing the same amount of caffeine, their brains were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Analysis showed that both after drinking coffee and after drinking caffeine-containing hot water, connectivity with the 'Default Mode Network (DMN),' which allows the brain to prepare for rest, decreased. This indicates that caffeine intake prompted the brain to finish resting and start preparing for work.
However, in the group that drank coffee, connectivity increased between the brain's 'higher-level visual networks and the right executive control network,' which are related to working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed behavior. This increased connectivity was not observed when participants drank the caffeine-containing water alone.
Dr. Pico-Perez explained, "Simply put, after drinking a cup of coffee, individuals were better prepared to act and paid more attention to external stimuli." She added that to prepare for work or study and maintain an aroused state, caffeine alone is insufficient; the experience of drinking a cup of coffee itself is more necessary.
Furthermore, Dr. Pico-Perez noted, "Considering the relationship between coffee and brain activity, similar effects might be expected from other caffeinated beverages," but added, "However, it was analyzed that coffee drinkers have a special expectation related to coffee's unique aroma and taste."
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