A recent Australian study found that drinking coffee helps slow cognitive decline and reduces the accumulation of amyloid deposits in the brain, which is one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, but these results need additional studies to confirm.
In a report published by the British Medical News Today website, writer Debbie Lambert says that Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia in the world, with a rate of between 50 and 75% of the total cases, according to experts, and so far, what is recommended to deal with With this disease – and in the absence of an effective drug – it is to follow a healthy pattern that delays its development.
Results
Study lead author Dr. Samantha Gardner stresses that if additional research shows an association between coffee and slowing cognitive decline, coffee can be recommended in the future as a lifestyle designed to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study sample included 227 individuals aged 60 years or over, and they did not have cognitive decline at the beginning of the study. The team used a questionnaire to collect information about the amount of coffee they drank daily over an 18-month period, then cognitive assessments were conducted – using a selection of psychological scales – in 6 cognitive domains.
A subgroup of 60 volunteers underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans to assess the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain, and a subgroup of 51 volunteers underwent MRI scans to assess brain volume atrophy.
Analysis of the data showed that drinking coffee was positively associated with executive function and attention, slower cognitive decline, and decreased accumulation of amyloid protein over a 126-month period.
The results indicate that one to two cups of coffee per day can reduce cognitive decline by 8% after 18 months, with a 5% reduction in beta-amyloid buildup in the brain in the same period.
Dr. Gardner says that what the results of the study show about the slow formation of beta-amyloid protein is interesting, especially since the drug that was recently approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States also works by targeting the protein itself, but it did not show any effect in reducing cognitive decline, on the body. reverse coffee.
Study shortcomings
The author explains that it is difficult to generalize the results of the study, because the data were self-reported, which may lead to a methodological error in the research known as “recall bias”, as well as the small sample of the study, and the failure to distinguish the results between caffeinated coffee and decaffeinated coffee. .
Gardner explains that most of the study participants are white, so additional studies on more diverse groups are needed to confirm the results.
Dr Sarah Emarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says such studies could provide clues about the impact of diet on brain health, but caution should be exercised in interpreting the results, as there are other factors that contribute to dementia.
She adds that additional research should be conducted to understand the benefits of regular coffee consumption, while the best way to maintain brain health with age is to maintain physical and mental activity, stick to a healthy and balanced diet, stay away from tobacco and alcohol, pay attention to weight, and maintain cholesterol level. and blood pressure