Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

The characteristics that enable us to distinguish one substance from another are called properties.

Language and Cognition

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...

Cognition and Behavior

Cognition and Behavior

Social psychology examines the complex interplay between individual mental processes and social interactions. Historically, the field was divided into two domains: social behavior and social cognition. Researchers focusing on social behavior analyzed actions within social contexts, such as conformity, aggression, or cooperation. Meanwhile, social cognition researchers investigated how people perceive, interpret, and mentally represent their social environments. However, modern perspectives no...

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Inclusive Search for Anomalous Single-Photon Production in MicroBooNE.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Translation and cultural adaptation of Rowland universal dementia assessment scale (RUDAS) and European cross-cultural neuropsychological test battery (CNTB) into Italian.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026

Same author

First Search for Dark Sector e^{+}e^{-} Explanations of the MiniBooNE Anomaly at MicroBooNE.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Culturally and linguistically diverse patients in an Italian memory clinic: lessons learned from the ImmiDem project.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026

Same author

First Measurement of Charged-Current Muon-Neutrino-Induced K^{+} Production on Argon Using the MicroBooNE Detector.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Pre-stroke frailty and cognition as predictors to select patients for acute stroke treatment.

Cerebral circulation - cognition and behavior·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Exploring cocoa properties: is theobromine a cognitive modulator?

Ilaria Cova¹, V Leta^2,3, C Mariani³

¹Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Neurology Unit, L. Sacco University Hospital, Via G.B. Grassi, 74, I-20157, Milan, Italy. ilaria.cova@unimi.it.

Psychopharmacology

|February 2, 2019

Summary

Theobromine, found in cocoa, may offer neuroprotection and potentially aid cognitive function, though more research is needed. Its effects are less understood than caffeine

Keywords:

Cocoa Cognition Cognitive modulator Theobromine

More Related Videos

Exploring Cognitive Functions in Babies, Children & Adults with Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Exploring Cognitive Functions in Babies, Children & Adults with Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Published on: July 28, 2009

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

Exploring Cognitive Functions in Babies, Children & Adults with Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Exploring Cognitive Functions in Babies, Children & Adults with Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Published on: July 28, 2009

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Area of Science:

Nutritional Neuroscience
Pharmacology

Background:

Cocoa is rich in flavanols with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.
Methylxanthines, including caffeine and theobromine, are key active compounds in cocoa.
The cognitive effects of theobromine are less understood compared to caffeine.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the existing evidence on theobromine's effects on cognitive functions.
To explore the potential neuroprotective actions of theobromine.

Main Methods:

Review of animal and human studies investigating theobromine's impact on cognition.
Analysis of studies examining theobromine's role in neurodegenerative pathology.

Main Results:

Acute theobromine exposure shows a delayed and reduced nootropic effect compared to caffeine in animal models.
Long-term theobromine consumption may offer neuroprotection by reducing amyloid-beta pathology, relevant to Alzheimer's disease.

Conclusions:

Theobromine exhibits potential neuroprotective effects, particularly with long-term intake.
Further research is required to fully elucidate the cognitive and neuroprotective mechanisms of theobromine, alone and in combination with other cocoa constituents.