Could caffeine be the missing link to treating and preventing memory loss? Plus, one way you can get free coffee ice cream for your super lucky family and friends.

Researchers appearing on Monday’s edition of the CBS Early Show announced that coffee might help stave off memory loss and fight Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers found that mice afflicted with the rodent version of Alzheimer’s that consumed the equivalent of 500 milligrams of coffee each day performed better on memory tests than mice with the same condition that were only given water.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton told the Early Show that caffeine had “a very positive effect on [the mice’s] memory and thinking actions over a two-month period.”

For humans to consume the amount of caffeine necessary to reflect these results, it would mean drinking 14 cups of tea, 20 cola drinks, or just two cups of strong coffee.

“Caffeine could be a viable treatment for established Alzheimer’s disease, and not simply a protective strategy. That’s important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people,” said neuroscientist Gary Arendash, who helped lead the research study.

Still, Alzheimer’s experts aren’t ready to start firing up the coffee pots just yet.

“A human being’s brain processes very differently than a mouse’s brain, so the public has to be cautious,” said Eric Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.  “This is a first step, but there are a lot more steps to be done. We are hopeful, but many failed clinical trials can testify to the fact that what works in mice doesn’t always work in humans.”

Hall told the New York Daily News that as many as 4.5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease with 1 in 8 people developing it by age 65.

Free ice cream for your Facebook friends

Attention all Facebook users! Between now and July 19th, you can try your hand at scooping up a free pint of Starbucks Ice Cream for a friend of family member. The company is giving away 800 free pints an hour, every hour until the end of the promotion.

To participate, click on this link and then sign into your Facebook account. Be sure and have your friend’s address and date of birth ready (or your own if you don’t feel like sharing). If you get a ‘Congratulations’ message like I did, your friend can expect to see their coupon in the mail soon.

If you weren’t one of the 800 lucky people to score a coupon that hour, just come back at the top of the next hour and try again. Tip: I tried early in the morning, so might want to get up a little earlier than the average Facebooker to up your chances.

Starbucks partnered with Unilever last August to roll out four new flavors based on Starbucks’ most popular espresso beverages. The flavors include Java Chip, Caramel Macchiato, Frappucino, of course, Coffee.

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