A cappuccino with no Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s Disease is a sword that dangles over us all. No-one fancies loss of faculties in later life but the possibility of dementia is real. So any ways to stave off mental decline are much sought after which is why a new study has investigated the effects of coffee.

Previous research has shown that regular intakes of coffee and caffeine during middle age may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease in later life. Although we all think of coffee as a source of caffeine it is in fact a complex food that contains many chemicals. It was the objective of these researchers to see if it was the caffeine or something else that gives coffee its anti-Alzheimer’s effect.

To do this they wanted to see how caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee affected a group of chemicals called cytokines in Alzheimer’s prone mice. Cytokines are proteins that carry signals between cells and they are known to play a pivotal role in the development of Alzheimer’s. In fact, one cytokine known as GCSF (granulocyte stimulating factor) has been shown in mice with Alzheimer’s to improve cognitive performance. It is believed that GCSF does three things to combat Alzheimer’s.

First, it brings cells called microglia to the brain where they mop up the amyloid protein involved in Alzheimer’s. Secondly, it creates new connections between brain cells, a process called “synaptogenesis”. Thirdly, it increases the birth of new brain cells in the brain.

The researchers found that caffeinated coffee greatly increased blood levels of three cytokines (GCSF, IL-10, and IL-6). However, neither caffeine on its own nor decaf coffee impacted cytokine levels.

This suggests that there is something in coffee other than caffeine that boosts GCSF and fights Alzheimer’s. We don’t know what that molecule is yet, but that’s no reason not to order a latte.

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