Caffeine may help combat Alzheimer’s disease

A group of German and French researchers, led by Dr. Christa E. Muller from the University of Bonn and Dr. David Blum from the University of Lille, have been able to determine for the first time that caffeine may well help combat some effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

The project, which received some funding from the Alzheimer initiatives, published their positive results in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

The study determined that caffeine – the substance which gives coffee drinkers the jolt of energy and, in some cases, mental clarity – affects tau deposits on the brain which are characteristic features of the debilitating disease.

Tau proteins disrupt nerve cell communication in the brain, which contributes to their degeneration.

Currently, despite lots of research into this area, there is no known silver bullet which can prevent this process. However the results of this study provide proof that there is an avenue that is there to be explored.

“We have taken a good step forward,” said Professor Muller. “The results of [this] study are truly promising, since we were able to show for the first time that A2A adenosine receptor antagonists actually have very positive effects.”

Previous research into this area had indicated that blockading adenosine receptors in the brain – particularly subtype A2A – could play an important role in future research into combating Alzheimer’s.

Caffeine, as we know, is an adenosine receptor antagonist which blocks various receptors in the brain which generally are urged into action by adenosine.

Further study is expected to take place and if a second set of results wield positive conclusions then a clinical trial may take place.

Patience however is required, says Professor Muller. “But I am optimistic that clinical studies will be performed,” she noted.

Just last week, a different piece of research indicated the coffee could help fight against retinal degeneration.