Coffee Combats Alzheimer’s Risk

In that there presently is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, disease prevention is a strategic research focus.  Previously, a number of studies link regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease. ArframIkram, from Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and colleagues investigated compounds in coffee, identifying caffeine and polyphenols as key candidates. Caffeine appears to help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrulary tangles in the brain -- two hallmarks of Alzheimer's Disease. In addition to this, both caffeine and polyphenols may reduce inflammation and decrease the deterioration of brain cells -- especially in the hippocampus and cortex, areas of the brain involved in memory. The lead investigator comments that: "The majority of human epidemiological studies suggest that regular coffee consumption over a lifetime is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease, with an optimum protective effect occurring with three to five cups of coffee per day."