| Every coffeehound knows how important that | | | | disease. |
| beautiful brew can be. It wakes us up in the | | | | Caffeine shown to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms |
| morning, it's the midafternoon pause that | | | | A recent University of Florida study even |
| refreshes, and it's the ideal accompaniment to | | | | suggests that caffeine could actually reverse |
| after-dinner everything, from dessert to | | | | some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's. The study |
| discussions. We know it makes us feel better ... | | | | used mice bred to develop symptoms of the |
| but can it actually help our brains function better? | | | | disease, which were tested to confirm that they |
| It looks like the answer is yes. A University of | | | | were exhibiting the same kind of memory |
| North Carolina study on the effects of drinking | | | | impairment that human Alzheimer's sufferers |
| coffee concluded that caffeine is a safe and | | | | experience. |
| reliable drug that could potentially play a role in the | | | | Half the mice were then put on a daily regimen |
| therapies against neurological disorders. It is even | | | | that included the caffeine equivalent of five cups |
| believed that drinking coffee could help prevent | | | | coffee added to their drinking water, while half |
| Alzheimer's disease, one of the most wide-spread | | | | the mice had no caffeine added to their water. |
| and devastating of all age-related disorders. | | | | After two months both groups of mice were |
| How coffee protects the brain | | | | retested, and it was found that the mice that had |
| Coffee's protective powers center on what | | | | been drinking the caffeine-added water performed |
| medical experts call the "blood brain barrier", a | | | | significantly better on memory and thinking skills, |
| natural filter that guards the central nervous | | | | actually testing as well as mice that had not been |
| system against potentially dangerous chemicals | | | | bred to develop dementia. The mice that had |
| that may be carried through the rest of the | | | | been drinking non-caffeinated water showed no |
| bloodstream. It is believed that high cholesterol | | | | improvement in the tests. |
| levels in the blood have an adverse effect of this | | | | Even more encouragingly, it was found that the |
| filter, weakening the barrier against these | | | | brains of the mice given caffeine showed as |
| chemicals and leaving the brain vulnerable to | | | | much as 50% reduction in levels of beta amyloid |
| damage. | | | | protein, which is the basis of the destructive |
| The University of North Dakota study showed | | | | plaque that builds up in the brains of dementia |
| that after three months of a high-cholesterol diet, | | | | patients. The research suggested that caffeine |
| the blood brain barrier in rabbits that had ingested | | | | had this effect because it suppresses brain |
| the equivalent of just one cup of coffee per day | | | | inflammation that leads to over-production of the |
| was far more intact than the barrier in those that | | | | protein. |
| had been given no caffeine. | | | | Experts warn that while these results are |
| Research on Alzheimer's disease indicates that a | | | | extremely positive, more research is needed to |
| weak or "leaky" blood brain barrier that makes | | | | determine whether caffeine has the same effects |
| cholesterol damage to the brain possible is among | | | | on people. |
| the factors that can trigger or contribute to the | | | | |