Austrian researchers used brain-imaging tools to study the impact of caffeine use, and concluded that the drug increases alertness by acting in specific areas of the brain. "Almost all of us drink coffee or something with caffeine in it and we know why, because we want to be more awake or feel better," said researcher Florian Koppelstaetter of the Medical University Innsbruck in Austria. "We wanted to know what effect one to two cups of coffee would have on short-term memory."

The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tests of 15 volunteers showed that brain activity only increased when caffeinated beverages were consumed; non-caffeinated drinks had no effect. "The increased activity means you are more able to focus," Koppelstaetter said. "You have more attention and your task management is better."

Koppelstaetter presented his findings at the Radiological Society of North America meeting in Chicago last week.

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