As hundreds of thousands of Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, researchers are learning more every day about the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to its development.
Fighting Cognitive Decline
A new study confirms the potential of caffeine by itself as a treatment avenue in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. This latest study from researchers at Inserm, the Lille University Hospital (CHU Lille), and the University of Lille, within the Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, has its results published in the journal Brain.
Their findings reinforce the case for conducting clinical trials to measure caffeine’s effects on the brain of patients at early stages of the disease. Several studies had already suggested that regular, moderate caffeine consumption (roughly 2 to 4 cups of coffee per day) could help slow age-related cognitive decline and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
A Large-Scale Study
A substantial American study conducted among 131,821 people, with follow-up spanning 43 years, provides more insight: two to three cups of coffee per day reduce the risk of dementia by 18%. These are the tangible benefits of caffeine, according to results published in JAMA. The participants in this study—the largest ever conducted—were surveyed every two to four years. In total, 11,033 cases of dementia were recorded.
But in the process, this study also allowed for a comparison of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea—something most prior research had not done. Thus, people who consumed higher amounts of caffeinated coffee exhibited an 18% lower risk of developing dementia than those who drank little or none. Additionally, they showed a lower rate of subjective cognitive decline (7.8% vs. 9.5%) and better results on certain objective cognitive tests.
The Decaffeinated Variant Fails to Deliver
Surprisingly, no benefits were observed among decaffeinated coffee drinkers. This seems linked to caffeine’s action in the brain: it blocks a receptor known as the adenosinergic A2A receptor that modulates signals sent by certain neurons. These receptors also play a role in the release of pro-inflammatory substances that can damage the brain. A hot, caffeine-free beverage cannot unlock this biological lock.
This line of inquiry as a preventive strategy for dementia adds to the broader efforts to combat the disease and its effects. In both the United States and Japan, istradefylline, a selective antagonist of the A2A receptor, has been approved since 2019 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In the meantime, nothing stops you from enjoying a few cups of good coffee each day — for pleasure and for your health.
