Experts from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston concluded that drinking coffee has the potential to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, even in people with a genetic predisposition to cognitive impairment. A possible remedy for senile brain disorders is reported in a press release on EurekAlert !.
The study involved 188 people with Parkinson's disease and 180 healthy people. Both groups included people with a mutation in the LRRK2 gene, which encodes the enzyme rich in leucine re-kinase 2. Changes in this gene are associated with a high risk of cognitive impairment, but their presence does not guarantee the development of Parkinson's disease. This indicates that other genetic or environmental factors may also influence risk.
The scientists tested the caffeine content in the blood of the study participants. It turned out that in patients with Parkinson's disease, the concentration of caffeine was, in general, 76 percent lower. In patients with a normal copy of the gene, the concentration of caffeine was 31 percent lower. In addition, carriers of the defective gene with Parkinson's disease consumed 41 percent less caffeine per day than people with a normal or defective gene who did not have Parkinson's disease.
It is still too early to say with certainty that coffee consumption does reduce the risk of disease, the researchers said, as further research is needed on its alleged neuroprotective effects.
