Chronic caffeine consumption prevents cognitive decline from young to middle age in rats, and is associated with increased length, branching, and spine density of basal dendrites in CA1 hippocampal neurons

▶Rats were submitted to various behavioral tests before and 2 weeks after 6 months of caffeine. ▶Only caffeine-treated rats kept habituation in the open field, and Y-maze alternation was above chance. ▶Dendrite length, branching, and spine density were greater in CA1 pyramidal neurons of caffeine-treated rats. ▶Chronic caffeine prevents aged-related cognitive decline and promotes dendrite and spine growth.