Caffeine may treat, prevent Alzheimer's

Daily coffee may help reduce beta amyloid levels -- plaque accumulation in the brain -- as a means to prevent, treat and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, finds promising research by a team led by an Indian-origin scientist.

To say that strategising medicines to treat Alzheimer's disorders is important is an understatement. "Moreover, to say that caffeine is just an ordinary staple in our lives, whether caffeine is part of coffee or a chocolate bar, is also an understatement," said Patricia A Broderick, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Caffeine Research that published the study.

In the article "Caffeine as Treatment for Alzheimer's: A Review", Abhishek Mohan from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and co-authors identified the potential opportunities for using caffeine to reduce beta amyloid levels.

Mohan and his team found that the proposed link between caffeine and reductions in the beta amyloid plaque accumulation characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggest a possible role for caffeine in AD treatment.

"Thus, what Mohan has published herein is elegant in its simplicity; his work is critically on target," added Broderick, also adjunct professor in neurology at New York University.