In their tireless fight against Alzheimer’s, scientists have found an unexpected ally: coffee

There are more and more studies that show the positive effects that coffee has on our health. Leaving aside a multitude of myths and legends about this drink, the truth is that researchers became increasingly clear that coffee, in general, is beneficial. Whether for specific parts of our body, to concentrate or for sports practiceto. However, we knew relatively little about how it affects the brain, although we are getting closer to understanding it.

A recent review of studies has concluded that a regular intake of coffee can have an impact on diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Since it is related to brain amyloid load, one of the biomarkers of Alzheimer’s.

Caffeine and brain. In recent years, research on the effect of caffeine has been focusing on our brain. There are times when the results are resounding (both good and bad), but in others, these investigations reveal that there is a middle ground. An example is something as concrete as decision-making in soccer: the participants were more accurate in short and long passes after consuming caffeine, but also more erratic when they had to make quick and impulsive decisions.

Other previous studies also reflected lights and shadows, with results that point to a higher level of anxiety derived from caffeine intake, but also suggesting that it may be a protection against Alzheimer’s. In a 2023 study, an inverse relationship was observed between coffee consumption and the accumulation of tau proteins, molecules linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s. And that same inverse relationship has been found in the amyloid load.

The study. Although we are close to understanding the genetic origin of Alzheimer’s, it is still a terrible disease for which we do not have all the answers and any green shoot is something hopeful. A few weeks ago, a group of researchers published in the Alzheimer’s Association a study in which they detailed that they had taken as a basis a previous study in which 263 participants over 70 years of age with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s were evaluated between 2010 and 2015.

At the time of carrying out the original study, the volunteers revealed their consumption habits, among which was their caffeine intake (either from coffee or other sources). For this new study, two groups were created: those who consumed an average of just over 200 milligrams per day, who were considered “lower consumers”, and the “higher consumers”, who were those who consumed more than that. amount. They also had data from MRIs, blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, so they began to collate data, classify and…

Coffee and Alzheimer’s. The conclusion they have reached is that those who had a lower caffeine consumption had markers that were related to a greater risk of mild cognitive impairment, with also memory impairment. Specifically, the low caffeine consumption group was almost 2.5 times more likely to have an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

What they found was a significant relationship between lower caffeine consumption and lower levels of the beta-amyloid protein Aβ42 in the CSF, as well as in the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio. This implies that there is a greater brain amyloid load, this greater load being one of the biomarkers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. In the group that ate more caffeine, there was a lower brain amyloid load.

You have to continue studying. Now, although the results are interesting and surely motivate more research, two relevant data from this study must be taken into account. The first is that long-term caffeine consumption was not measured, which is crucial to see how past consumption may influence current and future effects. The second is that, although the sample was large and they had many elements to evaluate, it is an observational study, so in no way can causality be established.

The researchers themselves comment that these long-term studies are needed and, in fact, they affirm that the results have encouraged them to create a clinical trial to more precisely measure the impact of caffeine on the cognitive functions of people with Alzheimer’s. Currently, it is a study in the recruitment process and the objective will be to analyze the relationship between caffeine consumption and these biomarkers, such as TAU proteins and amyloids.

At least, with these results resulting from the observation of a past study, we have managed to give rise to new, more specific research that, hopefully, will give us more information both about Alzheimer’s and, above all, the relationship between coffee and our brain. .

Images | Huy Phan

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