Could your morning coffee simply be a placebo?
BOSTON - Many people say they can't start the day without a cup of coffee, a latte, or a mocha caramel macchiato but the mere act of drinking coffee, and not necessarily the caffeine itself, may be providing the mental boost we seek.
Scientists in Portugal recruited people who drank at least one cup of coffee a day. They performed brain MRIs before and after either taking caffeine or drinking a standard cup of coffee. They found that both coffee and caffeine increase connectivity in brain pathways associated with alertness.
However, coffee alone promoted neural connections related to working memory and goal-directed behaviors, in other words making subjects more prepared for action. This suggests that the experience of drinking coffee, including perhaps the smell, taste, and anticipation of the beverage, may provide benefits beyond the caffeine alone.