Bacopa Preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia

What is Bacopa?

An extract of a little-known herb called Bacopa can dramatically increase your brain function and memory — and may even help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Its therapeutic use has its origins from traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India, where it has been used for its adaptogenic, tranquilizing and antioxidant properties.

Bacopa is a creeping perennial herb that can be found in Nepal, China, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam and some parts of the United States, including Hawaii, Florida and other Southern states. Bacopa (also called Bacopa monnieri or brahmi) thrives in wetlands, on muddy shores and around ponds or bog gardens. Be careful not to confuse brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) with gotu kola and other natural medicines that are also sometimes called brahmi.

Used in India for thousands of years for both traditional and medicinal purposes, Bacopa had a central role in religious consecration ceremonies for infants: The botanical was believed to open a gateway to intelligence for children.

Bacopa herb contains many compounds including bacopasaponins such as bacoside A, bacopaside II, bacopaside I, bacopaside X, bacopasaponin, bacopaside N2 and minor components bacopasaponin F, bacopasaponin E, bacopaside N1 bacopaside III, bacopaside IV and bacopaside V. The total saponin content in samples, plant materials and extracts vary from 5 to 22%. Dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins classified as pseudojujubogenin and jujubogenin glycosides are reported as some of active components in this plant.

Shamanic Memory

Researchers may first have been intrigued by Bacopa monnieri because of the effect they believed it had on ancient shamans, who reportedly used the herb to help them memorize epic poems. Researchers theorized that perhaps the Bacopa plant enhanced the shamans’ brain function and improved their memory, concentration and recall. It’s no wonder researchers suspected a link, since some of these epic poems — when they were finally written down — exceeded 900 pages, and the shamans could recite them word for word!

Mind Booster

Today, modern science is confirming traditional wisdom about Bacopa. In research conducted in Australia and the United States, Bacopa improved study subjects’ ability to retain new information — and it also helped them increase their visual processing speed in as little as three weeks.

Research into the benefits of Bacopa includes:

• A study by the psychology department at the University of Wollongong in Australia that demonstrated Bacopa could increase memory and recall ability.
• Research in 1996 presented at the International Brain Research Conference that showed that Bacopa reduced the time needed to learn new tasks by almost half. Participants taking Bacopa mastered mental exercises in as little as six days compared to 10 days for the control group.
• An extensive 2001 rigorous, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment in Victoria, Australia confirmed the herb’s benefits for learning. After 12 weeks, those taking Bacopa scored significantly better on all higher order cognitive processing tests.

Bacopa monnieri has been extensively tested and proven as a memory and concentration enhancer, but the benefits of Bacopa extend to other mental and emotional functions, as well.
In many areas of the world, Bacopa is also used to treat:

• Depression
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Mental deficiency

Bacopa May Combat Cognitive Decline

In addition to its short-term cognitive benefits, Bacopa may also prevent long-term cognitive decline. A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that elderly participants who used 300 mg per day of Bacopa demonstrated improved mental functions in comparison to a placebo group. Improvement was most profound in the areas of attention and verbal-information processing — and researchers concluded that Bacopa could be effective in preventing cognitive decay.

Since research has shown a link between mild cognitive decline and eventual dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, preventing even mild memory difficulties may play an important role in warding off those memory-related diseases that are so prevalent among baby boomers and elderly people.

News of the many health benefits of Bacopa recently seeped into mainstream news. In his TV show on May 30, 2011, Dr. Mehmet Oz (also known as “America’s Doctor”) recommended Bacopa for brain health. Dr. Oz said, “Bacopa Monnieri will make you smarter, enhance your memory and help you focus better.”

Mechanism of action

Bacopa contains bacosides A and B, which enhance neuron repair and speed up information transfer between brain cells. This herb also has powerful antioxidant properties which protect the brain cells from damage.

The mode of action of brain cell protective effects is due to the antioxidants that suppress neuronal oxidative stress and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Treating patients with bacopa extract may be a way to treat neurodegenerative disorders associated with oxidative stress as well as perhaps Alzheimer's disease.

There is some evidence to suggest that it might relax muscles in the blood vessels, airways, and the small intestine. It might also act as a tranquilizer to promote relaxation as well as a pain reliever.

How to Use Bacopa

Adults can use a dosage of Bacopa herb between 200 mg to 500 mg a few times a week. Many preparations are in the form of extracts with various potencies. If you buy a bacopa extract product, your dosage would be less than that of the regular bacopa powder. How much less depends on how potent and concentrated the extract.

A 225 mg tablet of Bacopa taken up to three times daily is recommended by many health practitioners, although consultation with a qualified herbalist is advised to determine your ideal dosage.

To be most effective, Bacopa extract is usually taken in the recommended dosage daily for 12 weeks. In low doses, Bacopa is mild and non-addictive. Although overdose is uncommon, Bacopa has been known to be toxic in very high doses, so caution is advised. However, it is reported that any symptoms of toxicity will immediately subside once Bacopa supplementation is discontinued.

Bacopa is relatively inexpensive and can be found at health food stores and through a variety of online retailers.

Precautions and Side Effects

Women who are pregnant or nursing should first talk to their doctor before taking. Bacopa also may cause sleepiness if taken in high doses.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/bacopa-may-help-prevent-alzheimers-and-dementia/

http://www.bacopa-monnieri.com/

http://www.holistic-herbalist.com/bacopa.html

http://www.herbslist.net/bacopa.html

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-761-BRAHMI.aspx

Eating Fresh Apples May Protect from Alzheimer’s

Fresh apples -- the peel in particular -- have some of the highest levels of quercetin (also found in onions, broccoli, kale, blueberries, cranberries and red grapes). Some of the most lab exciting studies on this flavonol suggest it may help fight Alzheimer's disease by protecting brain cells against oxidative stress. In an animal study at Cornell University, quercetin proved more powerful than the antioxidant vitamin C in neutralizing the kind of neural damage done by free radicals. "Fresh apples have some of the highest levels of quercetin ... and may be among the best food choices for fighting Alzheimer's," said study author C.Y. Lee.

What is Quercetin?

Quercetin belongs to a group of plant pigments called flavonoids that give many fruits, flowers, and vegetables their color.

Flavonoids such as quercetin are antioxidants -- they scavenge damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, which damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause. They also help keep LDL ("bad") cholesterol from being damaged, which scientists think may contribute to heart disease. In test tubes, quercetin has strong antioxidant properties, but researchers aren't sure whether taking quercetin (and many other antioxidants) has the same effects inside the body.

Quercetin acts like an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory, and may help protect against Alzhemier’s disease, heart disease, and cancer.

Cornell University Study

In this latest research, Lee and his colleagues exposed rat brain cells to varying amounts of quercetin or vitamin C, a well-established antioxidant and disease fighter. The brain cells were then exposed to hydrogen peroxide, a substance that can mimic some of the kinds of cell damage that occurs in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease. The cells that had been treated with quercetin showed significantly less damage than the vitamin-C treated cells or brain cells that did not get any antioxidant protection. Quercetin also protected nerve cell membranes more than did vitamin C.  This is significant because the researchers believe that loss of cell membrane integrity contributes to neurotoxicity.  Larger doses of quercetin or vitamin C conferred greater protection from oxidative stress.

Scientists are not sure exactly how the quercetin in apples protects brain cells in the lab, although its antioxidant effects are thought to neutralize cell-damaging compounds called free radicals. Other foods that are rich in quercetin, such as onions, blueberries, cranberries, and tea, may also afford protection against Alzheimer’s. Quercetin is also sold in nutritional supplements. The apple, however, remains at the top of the list when it comes to natural sources for disease-fighting quercetin.

“People should eat more apples, especially fresh ones,” says study leader C.Y. Lee, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Food Science & Technology at Cornell University in Geneva, N.Y. He cautions that protection against Alzheimer’s using any food product is currently theoretical and adds that genetics and environment are also believed to play a role in the disease. Despite these caveats, the researcher predicts that “eating at least one fresh apple a day might help.” But Lee also points out that results so far are limited to cell studies and that more advanced research, particularly in animals, is still needed to confirm the findings.

Querecetin Natural Sources

Even though quercetin is relatively stable during cooking, fresh apples are better sources of quercetin than cooked or processed apple products because the compound is mainly concentrated in the skin of apples rather than the flesh, Lee says. Products such as apple juice and apple sauce do not contain significant amounts of skin. In general, red apples tend to have more of the antioxidant than green or yellow ones, although any apple variety is a good source of quercetin.

For those who don’t like apples or may have difficulty eating the whole fruit, there are some promising alternatives, Lee suggests. Other foods containing high levels of quercetin include onions, which have some of the highest levels of quercetin among vegetables, as well as berries, particularly blueberries and cranberries. Like other antioxidants, quercetin has been associated with an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against cancer.

How to Take Quercetin?

Recommended adult dosages of quercetin vary depending on the condition being treated. The recommendations for the general supplementation are 100 - 250 mg 3 times per day.

Precautions

Quercetin is generally considered safe. Side effects may include headache and upset stomach. Preliminary evidence suggests that a byproduct of quercetin can lead to a loss of protein function.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with kidney disease should avoid quercetin.

At high doses (greater than 1 g per day), there are some reports of damage to the kidneys.

Possible Drug Interactions

If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use quercetin supplements without first talking to your health care provider.

Anticoagulants (blood thinners) -- Quercetin may enhance the effect of these drugs, increasing your risk for bleeding:

• Warfarin (Coumadin)
• Clopidogrel (Plavix)
• Aspirin

Chemotherapy -- Test tube and animal studies suggest that quercetin may enhance the effects of doxorubicin and cisplatin, two chemotherapy medications used to treat cancer. In addition, some doctors believe taking antioxidants at the same time as chemotherapy can be harmful, while others believe it can be helpful. Talk to your oncologist before taking any supplements if you are undergoing chemotherapy.

Corticosteroids -- Quercetin may cause these drugs to stay in the body longer.

Cyclosporine -- Quercetin may interfere with the body's absorption of this drug, which is used to suppress the immune system.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.dole.com/NutritionInstituteLanding/NI_Articles/NI_NutritionNewsDesk/NI_NutritionNewsDesk_Details/tabid/990/Default.aspx?contentid=8938

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/quercetin-000322.htm

http://www.alzinfo.org/01/articles/prevention-and-wellness-109

http://www.nootropics.com/quercetin/index.html

http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Alzheimers/4-11-16Apples.htm

Love, Adultery, and Alzheimer’s

Living and managing Alzheimer’s is not easy, but living with beloved spouse with Alzheimer’s might be even more challenging. Just because the health partner always has a choice. I would like to present an article from The Wall Street Journal titled "Of Love and Alzheimer's" regarding the ethics of adultery on the part of spouses of Alzheimer's sufferers. I guess, there is no right or wrong answer to the raised question, and each one make his/her own choices to manage this situation and day-to-day life.

***************************************************************

Sid loves his wife of more than 40 years, and has no intention of divorcing her.

But Sid, who is in his 70s, lives with her only three days a week in their Manhattan home. The rest of the time, he stays with another woman in her 60s with whom he has developed an intimate relationship. His grown children like her and approve of the arrangement.

The situation isn't as strange as it sounds.

Sid's wife has later-stage Alzheimer's disease. That places him among an increasingly visible group of people ranging in age from their 50s to their 90s who are finding romance outside of their marriages while continuing to care for spouses with Alzheimer's. (Sid asked that his last name not be used.)

Caregivers often face a stark choice: Either start an extramarital relationship and risk estrangement from friends and family—not to mention their own guilt—or live without a real companion for many years. The trend is prompting religious leaders, counselors and others to rethink how they define adultery.

Support groups of people caring for spouses with the disease are seeing an increase in people who want to recover the intimacy they had in their marriage. "This didn't get discussed much earlier, I think, because people felt embarrassed or guilty for wanting companionship," says Jed Levine, director of programs at the Alzheimer's Association's New York chapter. "We're seeing the issue come up more frequently now."

Alzheimer's causes "a profound loss—that of the marital partner," says Mr. Levine. While spouses may still feel their old bond in the disease's earlier stages, once it progresses, "that connection is lost, too," he says. "It's not sex as much as special friendship," such as being held at night, that well spouses miss the most, he says.

Alzheimer's robs patients of their memory and often changes their personalities radically. Some 5.3 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease. While most are elderly, as many as 10% may be under 65, according to the national Alzheimer's Association in Chicago. Doctors say they are seeing a troubling increase in this "early onset" Alzheimer's. That compounds the dilemma for spouses, as average life expectancy in the U.S. now exceeds 77 years.

Support-group leaders say they have seen a number of caregiver spouses start relationships with one another. One woman in her 80s began a companionship with a man she met in such a group, and married him after her husband died, Mr. Levine says.

Caregiver spouses often agonize over breaking their marital vows, and whether seeking a new companion represents a betrayal of their convictions.

Religious leaders have come down on both sides of the issue.

"We have made the marriage vows 'for better or worse.' That holds in sickness or in health," says Richard Gentzler Jr., director of the Center on Aging and Older-Adult Ministries for the national United Methodist Church. "I recognize the pain of the wife or husband, but sexual [relations] would be adultery."

Richard Address, a Reform Jewish rabbi in New York who runs a Web site called Jewish Sacred Aging, says the longevity revolution has complicated matters. His site asks the question: "Is it still adultery if the spouse has Alzheimer's?"

Rabbi Address, who has counseled several well spouses, believes Jewish tradition can help find answers. His rabbinical students are researching whether Biblical precepts allowing additional partners can be adapted to take Alzheimer's into account.

Secular support-group leaders, for their part, strenuously try to keep members from judging each other, says Beth Kallmyer of the Alzheimer's Association.

"It's easy for the well spouse to become the second victim of Alzheimer's," says Richard Anderson, a board member of the Well Spouse Association, a national support network. "Many of the people who have joined our association are burned out. Their lives have become more than a little unbalanced. They become ill themselves."

A 2006 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that spouses of people with dementia and psychiatric diseases were more likely to die themselves within a year of the afflicted spouse's death, compared with similar cases involving colon cancer, fractures or heart problems.

Mr. Anderson, who works at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University, says Alzheimer's can rob marriages of their essence: communication.

Adult children are often the biggest obstacles to a new relationship. They may accuse the caregiving parent of breaking apart a longstanding marriage, says Emma Shulman, a 96-year-old gerontologist and Alzhemier's researcher in New York.

Marriage vows are sacred but the physical and emotional loneliness of Alzheimer's disease is making some reassess what it means to be married. WSJ's Alicia Mundy reports.

The children's reaction "usually has to do with their own unresolved issues with their parents," she says. That can include "a sense of guilt that they haven't done more" to help their parents. Or, in other cases, children may feel they have carried all the burden of care, and resent that the well parent is seeking another companion, she says.

Sid, a former architect, says he waited several years after his wife's condition seriously deteriorated before he even thought about finding someone else. He remembers the day his wife, a history professor, suddenly exhibited what he later learned was a symptom of Alzheimer's. "We were in Europe in a field of lavender," he says. The fragrance was almost overpowering, but his wife smelled nothing. She was in her late 50s.

That was a dozen years ago.

"We have had more than 40 years of a wonderful marriage. She is my wife," he says. "When she was first diagnosed, I was unrealistic. I was always able to solve anything. But this time I couldn't." He put his wife though mental-exercise programs and into clinical drug trials, but she slipped away quickly.

After several years of caring for her, Sid says he became depressed and physically ill.

"Then I decided my life could not end like this," he says. His new relationship, which is possible because he has arranged for full-time in-home care for his wife, helps him feel less isolated.

Sid says the initial reaction from people in his support group a few years ago was horror—"It's adultery, you will go to hell," they told him. But recently, many of them have revealed they are looking for companionship, too.

His oldest son says that, at first, he was somewhat upset about the new friend. But he says he and his siblings soon accepted the relationship.

"Dad was sick, his mental health was going downhill. He has gotten better, physically changed," the son says. 


"As long as my mother isn't in any harm, and is being cared for, I understand. I'm a realist."

Sources and Additional Information:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704317704574503631569278424.html

http://economicsandethics.typepad.com/economics-and-ethics/2009/11/adultery-and-alzheimers.html

http://www.forward.com/articles/11387/

http://alzcg.com/care-giving/accusations-of-adultery/

10 Types of Dementia that are NOT Alzheimer's

The term dementia is used broadly to describe a condition which is characterized by cognitive decline, but there are many different types of dementia. Although it is usually progressive, properly diagnosing dementia can reverse the effects and be treated and even cured completely by addressing the underlying cause. However, dementia caused by incurable conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, are irreversible.

What are the different types of dementia?

Experts estimate that Alzheimer’s disease is the underlying cause of 60–80% of all dementia cases. However, there are many other conditions which can also cause dementia, which makes it vital for the patient to obtain accurate diagnosing of dementia early on in order to get proper treatment. Following are some of the most common types of dementia and their causes.

1. Vascular Dementia. 
   The second most common form of dementia, vascular dementia is caused by poor blood flow to the brain, which deprives brain cells of the nutrients and oxygen they need to function normally. One of the ten dementia types, vascular dementia can result from any number of conditions which narrow the blood vessels, including stroke, diabetes and hypertension.

2. Mixed Dementia. 
   Sometimes dementia is caused by more than one medical condition. This is called mixed dementia. The most common form of mixed dementia is caused by both Alzheimer’s and vascular disease.

3. Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB).
   Sometimes referred to as Lewy Body Disease, this type of dementia is characterized by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies which appear in nerve cells in the brain stem. These deposits disrupt the brain’s normal functioning, impairing cognition and behavior and can also cause tremors. DLB is not reversible and has no known cure.

4. Parkinson ’s Disease Dementia (PDD).
   Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurological condition, and in its advanced stages, the disease can affect cognitive functioning. Not all people with Parkinson’s disease will develop dementia, however. Dementia due to Parkinson’s is also a Lewy body dementia. Symptoms include tremors, muscle stiffness and speech problems. Reasoning, memory, speech, and judgment are usually affected.

5. Frontotemporal Dementia. 
   Pick’s disease, the most common of the frontotemporal dementia types, is a rare disorder which causes damage to brain cells in the frontal and temporal lobes. Pick’s disease affects the individual’s personality significantly, usually resulting in a decline in social skills, coupled with emotional apathy. Unlike other types of dementia, Pick’s disease typically results in behavior and personality changes manifesting before memory loss and speech problems.

6. Creutzfeldt-Jacob Dementia (CJD).
   CJD is a degenerative neurological disorder, which is also known as mad cow disease. The incidence is very low, occurring in about one in one million people. There is no cure. Caused by viruses that interfere with the brain’s normal functioning, dementia due to CJD progresses rapidly, usually over a period of several months. Symptoms include memory loss, speech impairment, confusion, muscle stiffness and twitching, and general lack of coordination, making the individual susceptible to falls. Occasionally, blurred vision and hallucinations are also associated with the condition.

7. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).
   Normal pressure hydrocephalus involves an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s cavities. Impaired drainage of this fluid leads to the build-up and results in added pressure on the brain, interfering with the brain’s ability to function normally. Individuals with dementia caused by normal pressure hydrocephalus often experience problems with ambulation, balance and bladder control, in addition to cognitive impairments involving speech, problem-solving abilities and memory.

8. Huntington’s Disease. 
   Huntington’s disease is an inherited progressive dementia that affects the individual’s cognition, behavior and movement. The cognitive and behavioral symptoms of dementia due to Huntington’s include memory problems, impaired judgment, mood swings, depression and speech problems (especially slurred speech). Delusions and hallucinations may occur. In addition, the individual may experience difficulty ambulating, and uncontrollable jerking movements of the face and body.

9. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.
   Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is caused by a deficiency in thiamine (Vitamin B1) and often occurs in alcoholics, although it can also result from malnutrition,  cancer which have spread in the body, abnormally high thyroid hormone levels, long-term dialysis and long-term diuretic therapy (used to treat congestive heart failure). The symptoms of dementia caused by Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome include confusion, permanent gaps in memory, and impaired short-term memory. Hallucinations may also occur.

10. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
    Dementia can be due to medical illness, medications and a host of other treatable causes. With mild cognitive impairment, an individual will experience memory loss, and sometimes impaired judgment and speech, but is usually aware of the decline. These problems usually don’t interfere with the normal activities of daily living. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment may also experience behavioral changes that involve depression, anxiety, aggression and emotional apathy; these can be due to the awareness of and frustration related to his or her condition.

Source:

http://www.gilbertguide.com/articles/10-types-of-dementia-that-arent-alzheimers-how-theyre-diagnosed/

Can Coffee Lower and Reverse Alzheimer’s Negative Effects?

A daily dose of caffeine blocks the disruptive effects of high cholesterol that scientists have linked to Alzheimer's disease. A study in the open access publication, Journal of Neuroinflammation revealed that caffeine equivalent to just one cup of coffee a day could protect the blood-brain barrier (BBB) from damage that occurred with a high-fat diet.

The BBB protects the central nervous system from the rest of the body's circulation, providing the brain with its own regulated microenvironment. Previous studies have shown that high levels of cholesterol break down the BBB which can then no longer protect the central nervous system from the damage caused by blood borne contamination. BBB leakage occurs in a variety of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

University of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Research (2006)

In this study, researchers from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences gave rabbits 3 mg caffeine each day - the equivalent of a daily cup of coffee for an average-sized person. The rabbits were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet during this time.

After 12 weeks a number of laboratory tests showed that the BBB was significantly more intact in rabbits receiving a daily dose of caffeine.

"Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky," says Jonathan Geiger, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, perhaps by compromising the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. For the first time we have shown that chronic ingestion of caffeine protects the BBB from cholesterol-induced leakage."

Caffeine appears to protect BBB breakdown by maintaining the expression levels of tight junction proteins. These proteins bind the cells of the BBB tightly to each other to stop unwanted molecules crossing into the central nervous system.

The findings confirm and extend results from other studies showing that caffeine intake protects against memory loss in aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

"Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug and its ability to stabilize the blood-brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders," says Geiger. 

Research in France (2007)

The researchers, studying more than 7,000 older men and women living in three cities in France, found that women age 65 and older who drank more than three cups of coffee scored better on tests that measure thinking and memory skills than women who drank a cup or less of coffee or tea a day.

The results held up even after researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect memory, such as age, education, disability, medications, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. The men in the study, however, did not show the same benefits from drinking coffee as the women.

“Caffeine is a psycho-stimulant which appears to reduce cognitive decline in women,” said study author Dr. Karen Ritchie of INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, in Montpellier, France. “While we have some ideas as to how this works biologically, we need to have a better understanding of how caffeine affects the brain before we can start promoting caffeine intake as a way to reduce cognitive decline.”

“But the results are interesting,” Ritchie continues. “Caffeine use is already widespread, it has fewer side effects than other treatments for cognitive decline, and it requires a relatively small amount for a beneficial effect.”

At the start of the study, all the seniors were evaluated for thinking and memory function. None had Alzheimer’s disease or other signs of serious memory loss, such as mild cognitive impairment. They were then evaluated over the following four years.

Compared to women who drank one cup or less of coffee per day, those who drank over three cups were less likely to show as much decline in memory. Moreover, the benefits increased with age. Coffee drinkers were 30 percent less likely to score poorly on memory tests at age 65 than those who drank little or no coffee. That figure increased to 70 percent in those older than 80.

Women who drank two or three cups of coffee a day did not show any notable boosts in memory.

The heavy coffee drinkers scored particularly well in tests that measured verbal recall, such as the ability to remember particulars of a story. They did slightly better in tests that measure visual and spatial memory.

Caffeine drinkers, however, did not seem to have lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease. “We really need a longer study to look at whether caffeine prevents dementia; it might be that caffeine could slow the dementia process rather than preventing it,” said Dr. Ritchie.

The researchers aren’t sure why caffeine didn’t show the same result in men. “Women may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine,” Dr. Ritchie said. “Their bodies may react differently to the stimulant, or they may metabolize caffeine differently.”

Florida Byrd Alzheimer's Institute Study (2007)

According to research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, caffeine intake not only appears to protect against Alzheimer's but may actually help those who already have the disease.

Researchers at the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute in Florida have reported that five cups of coffee a day could protect humans in the same way that the caffeine equivalent appears to have in the study of mice.

In a controlled study experiment using Alzheimer's mice, one group of mice had caffeine added to their drinking water. The memory of mice, who drank the caffeinated water, was roughly similar to mice to had no Alzheimer's. Researchers also found that levels of beta-amyloid proteins reduced in mice, who drank caffeine. Beta-amyloid proteins aggregate into plaques within the brain and are present in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Some interesting results were also obtained when researchers gave caffeine to aged Alzheimer's mice who already had high levels of beta-amyloid protein in their brains. It was discovered that caffeine reduced the levels of beta-amyloid already present in the brain. This could suggest that coffee drinking is beneficial in people with Alzheimer's; for the time being this is speculation.

The therapeutic effects of caffeine over the long-term have been noted in relation to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer of the liver, colorectal cancer and suicide. Although caffeine has been suspected of causing high blood pressure the association appears stronger when caffeine is consumed via soft drinks.

University of South Florida Study (2009)

The 55 mice used in the University of South Florida study had been bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

First the researchers used behavioural tests to confirm the mice were exhibiting signs of memory impairment when they were aged 18 to 19 months, the equivalent to humans being about 70.

Then they gave half the mice caffeine in their drinking water. The rest were given plain water.

The mice were given the equivalent of five 8 oz (227 grams) cups of coffee a day - about 500 milligrams of caffeine. The researchers say this is the same as is found in two cups of "specialty" coffees such as lattes or cappuccinos from coffee shops, 14 cups of tea, or 20 soft drinks.

When the mice were tested again after two months, those who were given the caffeine performed much better on tests measuring their memory and thinking skills and performed as well as mice of the same age without dementia.

Those drinking plain water continued to do poorly on the tests.

In addition, the brains of the mice given caffeine showed nearly a 50% reduction in levels of the beta amyloid protein, which forms destructive clumps in the brains of dementia patients. Further tests suggested caffeine affects the production of both the enzymes needed to produce beta amyloid.

The researchers also suggest that caffeine suppresses inflammatory changes in the brain that lead to an overabundance of the protein. Earlier research by the same team had shown younger mice, who had also been bred to develop Alzheimer's but who were given caffeine in their early adulthood, were protected against the onset of memory problems.

Dr Gary Arendash, who led the latest study, told the BBC: "The results are particularly exciting in that a reversal of pre-existing memory impairment is more difficult to achieve.

"They provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease and not simply a protective strategy. "That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people, it easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process."

The team now hopes to begin human trials of caffeine to see if the mouse findings are replicated in people. They do not know if a lower amount of caffeine would be as effective, but said most people could safely consume the 500 milligrams per day.

However they said people with high blood pressure, and pregnant women, should limit their daily caffeine intake.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "In this study on mice with symptoms of Alzheimer's, researchers found that caffeine boosted their memory. We need to do more research to find out whether this effect will be seen in people. "It is too early to say whether drinking coffee or taking caffeine supplements will help people with Alzheimer's.

Conclusion

The results, produced in the several reviewed researches are mostly promising, but just because caffeine treats memory loss in mice doesn't mean it's necessarily good for humans, says Eric Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

"A human being's brain processes very differently than a mouse's brain, so the public has to be cautious," Hall said. "This is a first step, but there are a lot more steps to be done. We are hopeful, but many failed clinical trials can testify to the fact that what works in mice doesn't always work in humans."

Note that some caution with coffee drinking is still advised. Caffeine is a drug, and can be associated with increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, jitteriness, palpitations and dehydration. "For people who have irregular heart beats, hypertension, women who are pregnant or those who are sensitive to the effects of caffeine, coffee, tea or soda should be consumed in moderation."  These people should also discuss caffeine consumption with their health care provider.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/102703.php

http://www.alzinfo.org/newsarticle/templates/newstemplate.asp?articleid=239&zoneid=10

http://alzheimers.about.com/od/research/a/Coffee_Alz.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8132122.stm

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/07/06/2009-07-06_coffee_may_help_treat_memory_loss_a_major_symptom_of_al.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/06/earlyshow/main5136373.shtml