Good news for all us coffee addicts out there: In addition to being the #1 source of antioxidants in America and helping prevent liver disease, recent research has found that coffee consumption may treat or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

In an article in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), researchers gave mice high doses of caffeine and in turn saw a reversal of memory problems in those mice.

The caffeine apparently lowers the level of certain chemicals and inflammation that can lead to memory issues in mice genetically engineered to have pre-Alzheimer's symptoms. However, the scientists behind the study are careful to point out that caffeine does not improve memory; the findings only suggest a prevention or slowing of those predisposed to Alzheimer's. (As the only coffee drinker in the CATS Software office, I can tell you I feel pretty smug with all this information.)

One question still bothers me, though. How, in fact, do they gauge memory loss in mice? Do they give them tiny "Memory" card games? Show them a map to the cheese and then take it away? Tell them a series of squeaks and see if they can repeat them in sequence? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.