Caffeine has a positive effect on short-term memory and reaction times, according to an Austrian study. (Photo: yahoo)

BEIJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Caffeine has a positive effect on short-term memory and reaction times, according to an Austrian study.

    Researchers at the Innsbruck Medical University discovered that the caffeine found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate stimulates areas of the brain governing short-term memory and attention.

    In a study of 15 healthy men ages 26 to 47, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)showed increased activity in the frontal lobe where the working memory is located and in the anterior cingulum that controls attention 20 minutes after the men consumed 100 mg of caffeine.

    After consuming caffeine, all the men showed a tendency toward improved reaction times on the test, compared to when they had no caffeine, said study author Dr.Florian Koppelstatter, a radiology fellow at the university. 

    "This effect takes part in the distinct part of the working memory network that controls attention and concentration."  Dr.Koppelstatter said.

    The research was presented Wednesday in Chicago during the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

    Caffeine is the world's most widely used stimulant, with a global, per-person average of 76 milligrams a day.

    (Agencies)