Caffeine May Be Magical Anti-Dementia Elixir

Beloved brain stimulator linked to reduction in Alzheimer's symptoms

By SARA K. SMITH

Updated 10:33 PM CDT, Tue, Jul 7, 2009

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Experiments on mice suggest that getting hopped up on java might be good for your health.

Hey good news, everybody! That thing you like to drink in the morning? It may prevent your brain from accumulating terrible clumps that cause it to forget what you did three seconds ago. This is the scientific conclusion, reached by scientists, who experimented on some pitiful mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease:

In this latest study, mice that had been bred with the dementia gene, that had grown older and were showing signs of memory loss and confusion, were given a four to five week course of caffeinated water, to see if it helped improve their memories. [...]

The mice did much better on memory tests (using mazes) after their course of caffeinated water, compared with tests before treatment. They improved to the point that they were doing as well as mice the same age that didn't have the dementia gene. And they did much better than mice with the dementia gene that had just had normal tap water, who continued to do worse on tests.
This could all be pretty great for people, provided that they respond to this caffeine therapy as well as the mice did.

The only drawback is that you might have to drink about 5 cups of coffee a day, which ... seems like a bit more than most people are used to?
[S]ome caution is advised. Caffeine is a drug, and can be associated with increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, jitteriness, palpitations and dehydration.
The choice is yours, consumer! You can be a jittery basketcase in full possession of your marbles, or you can lose them all in a state of quiet relaxation.

At least, that's what the future looks like right now. The next study might well advise us to quit ingesting caffeine and cut straight to eating mice.

Frequent neurobiological testing volunteer Sara K. Smith writes for NBC and Wonkette.