Coffee may help protect brain cells from Alzheimer’s disease–at least in mice. Scientists tested caffeine in mice bred to come down with beta-amyloid plaques in the brain similar to those found in Alzheimer’s patients.Those who got the equivalent of 500 mg of caffeine, about 5 cups of strong coffee, scored just as well on mouse memory tests as normal mice. The caffeine-treated mice also had fewer beta amyloid plaques in their brains. Whether caffeine will help protect humans against Alzheimer’s disease has not been established.
[The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, July, 2009]
http://www.j-alz.com/issues/17/vol17-3.html
