According to Meera Senthilingham in her 2016 article "Can Green Tea Boost Your Brainpower and Treat Disease?" green tea has been long used in Chinese medicine as a way to cure certain ailments. Green tea has recently been found to promote health and decrease conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer or even Alzheimer's disease. The component in green tea that has a particular affect on the body is EGCG, which helps brain function. In a study done in 2014 observing the effects of green tea extract it was found that the areas of the brain connected with the working memory saw increased connectivity and thus aided in increasing memory when the extract was inhaled nasally. The plasticity changes in the brain could help improve symptoms associated with dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Down Syndrome.
In a study focusing on Down Syndrome specifically participants were given EGCG in a pill form. When researchers compared the placebo and control group, those receiving the EGCG saw improvements for connections in the brain via nerve cells and language related areas of the brain. Participants also experienced improvements in visual memory and had improved ability to make plans or calculations. From this study, researchers were able to see the potential benefits of using EGCG in those with Down Syndrome. Researchers recognize that there needs to be more studies done to further investigate and solidify the benefits of EGCG. Researchers are hoping to do further studies using a larger amount of participants and include children in their work. Overall, EGCG may help protect the brain with certain diseases.
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