The effect of black tea and caffeine on regional cerebral blood flow measured with arterial spin labeling

Rishma Vidyasagar, Arno Greyling, Richard Draijer, Douglas R. Corfield, Laura M. Parkes

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    Abstract

    Black tea consumption has been shown to improve peripheral vascular function. Its effect on brain vasculature is unknown, though tea contains small amounts of caffeine, a psychoactive substance known to influence cerebral blood flow (CBF). We investigated the effects on CBF due to the intake of tea components in 20 healthy men in a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study. On separate days, subjects received a single dose of 184 mg caffeine (equivalent to one strong espresso coffee), 2,820 mg black tea solids containing 184 mg caffeine (equivalent to 6 cups of tea), 2,820 mg decaffeinated black tea solids, or placebo. The CBF and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to hypercapnia were measured with arterial spin labeled magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and 2 hours after administration. We found a significant global reduction with caffeine (20%) and tea (21%) in gray matter CBF, with no effect of decaffeinated tea, suggesting that only caffeine influences CBF acutely. Voxelwise analysis revealed the effect of caffeine to be regionally specific. None of the interventions had an effect on CVR. Additional research is required to conclude on the physiologic relevance of these findings and the chronic effects of caffeine and tea intake on CBF. © 2013 ISCBFM All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)963-968
    Number of pages5
    JournalJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
    Volume33
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2013

    Keywords

    • Arterial spin labeling
    • Brain
    • Caffeine
    • Flavonoids
    • Regional cerebral blood flow
    • Tea

    Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

    • Dementia@Manchester

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