Title:Role of Caffeine in the Age-related Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Review
Volume: 22
Issue: 21
Author(s): Miroslav Pohanka*
Affiliation:
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defense, Trebesska 1575, Hradec Kralove CZ-50001, Czech Republic
Keywords:
Adenosine, ageing, Alzheimer’s disease, coffee, dementia, neurological disorder, Parkinson’s disease, receptor, senescence.
Abstract: Caffeine, a simple purine alkaloid with the proper chemical name 1,3,7-trimethylpurine-
2,6-dione, is an abundant compound present in coffee, food and drugs. It interacts with various pathways
of which antagonism of adenosine receptors is the most significant but the other physiological
pathways can be influenced by caffeine as well. Interaction with glutamate and dopamine neurotransmission
pathways, competition with other substrates on cytochrome P450, non-competitive inhibition
of acetylcholinesterase, blocking of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and competitive inhibition of cyclic
nucleotide phosphodiesterase can be mentioned. Because of caffeine availability in foods, beverages
and drugs, it has practical relevance even if the effect is weak. Intake of coffee containing edibles
for a long period or even for a substantial part of life makes caffeine´s impact significant. Low acute
and chronic toxicity of caffeine is another important specification. The discoveries from the last few
years point to the fact that caffeine would interfere with the progression of some age-related neurodegenerative
disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and dementia with Lewy bodies. In
this review article, the recent findings about caffeine´s impact on neurodegenerative diseases are presented
and important facts about the caffeine effect, including the substantial discoveries, are described.