Hot chocolate can improve brain functionality

Research has found that two cups of cocoa a day help to prevent memory decline

During the winter there is nothing better than curling with a good book and having a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fire.

While this may be considered a treat for some people, new research has found that drinking cocoa could possibly prevent memory loss.

A study carried out by a team at Harvard Medical School and published in the online issue of Neurology found that the 60 elderly people with no dementia improved blood flow to the brain by drinking two cups of cocoa a day.

However, experts stated that further research needs to be carried out before any concrete conclusion can be drawn from this study.

Dr Farzaneh Sorond, neurologist at Harvard Medical School, said: "As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's."