Japanese researchers have found a remarkable relationship between the effects of green tea and mental decline. According to their study, a higher consumption of green tea was seen to lower the risk of having cognitive disorders during old age especially dementia.
The group of researchers from the Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine led by Dr. Moeko Noguchi-Shinohara conducted the study among 723 participants who are 60 years old and above. They underwent a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) for baseline assessment in 2007-2008. 490 out of the total expected population completed the follow-up survey they have conducted in 2011-2013. They were then categorized on how often do they drink green tea from "not at all, 1-6 days/week or everyday".
Green tea was seen to lower the risk of dementia from those who were drinking 1 to 6 days/week or every day. Non-green tea drinkers were seen to have poor results for Mini-Mental State Examination and were interestingly seen to have lower years of education, hobbies and less physical activity. Other variants for the survey had been equally distributed and considered like gender and existing diseases and lifestyle habits.
In addition to that, green tea as well its other variant, Black Tea, contain caffeine. The substance has also a remarkable effect on the brain, according to fellow researcher from Denmark Knud Larsen, PhD who had the interview with Medscape Medical News.
While the preparation differ between Black Tea and Green Tea, the latter has components noted to have "neuroprotective" functions such as epigallo catechin 3-gallate, myrecitin and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).
The research was presented during the AP/PD 2015 or the 12th International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases where reputed researchers from all over the world share studies and breakthrough treatment and care for patients with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The conference happened on March 29- April 2, 2017 in Vienna, Austria.