The research, conducted at the University
of Warwick, found that sugar improves memory in older adults and makes
them more motivated to perform difficult tasks at full capacity.
The study found that increasing blood sugar levels not only improves
memory and performance but makes older adults feel happier during a
task.
However, older adults who had a glucose drink showed significantly
better memory and more positive mood compared to those who consumed the
artificial sweetener.
The study, which was also conducted on young adults, found that the
glucose drink increased their energy but that’s where it ended.
The glucose did not improve either their mood or their memory performance.
“Over the years, studies have shown that actively engaging with
difficult cognitive tasks is a prerequisite for the maintenance of
cognitive health in older age,” said Konstantinos Mantantzis, a PhD student from the University of Warwick’s department of psychology.
“Therefore, the implications of uncovering the mechanisms that
determine older adults’ levels of engagement cannot be understated.”
The authors concluded that short-term energy in the form of raised
blood sugar levels could be an important factor in older adults’
motivation to perform a task at their highest capacity.
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