Caffeine May Slow Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias

Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies and fundamental research in animal models suggests that caffeine may have a protective effect against the cognitive decline seen in dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Researchers at the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University of Coimbra (Portugal) assembled a group of international experts to explore the effects of caffeine on the brain, and the possible therapeutic opportunities for caffeine in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. The collected studies shed new light on this topic and convey multiple perspectives on related issues such as the suggested molecular targets of caffeine, neurophysiological modifications and adaptations, and the potential mechanisms underlying the behavioral and neuroprotective actions of caffeine in distinct brain pathologies.

Among the specific subjects studied were the beneficial effects of caffeine in normalizing brain function and preventing it's degeneration; caffeine's neuroprotective profile and its ability to reduce amyloid-beta production; caffeine's role as a candidate disease-modifying agent for AD; the positive impact of caffeine on cognition and memory performance; the identification of adenosine A2A receptors as the main target for neuroprotection afforded by caffeine consumption; and the discussion of epidemiological studies, corroborated by meta-analysis, that suggest that caffeine may also be protective against Parkinson's disease. The collection of original studies was published as a special supplement to the May 2010 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

"Epidemiological studies first revealed an inverse association between the chronic consumption of caffeine and the incidence of Parkinson's disease,” wrote the supplement's guest editors, Alexandre de Mendonça, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Lisbon and Rodrigo Cunha, Ph.D., of the University of Coimbra. "This was paralleled by animal studies of Parkinson's disease showing that caffeine prevented motor deficits as well as neurodegeneration.”

"Later a few epidemiological studies showed that the consumption of moderate amounts of caffeine was inversely associated with the cognitive decline associated with aging as well as the incidence of Alzheimer's disease,” they added. "Again, this was paralleled by animal studies showing that chronic caffeine administration prevented memory deterioration and neurodegeneration in animal models of aging and of Alzheimer's disease.”

Although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug worldwide, its potential beneficial effect for maintenance of proper brain functioning has only recently begun to be adequately appreciated.

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University of Lisbon
University of Coimbra