Coffee+doesn't+protect+aging+brain

Sorry coffee lovers - Drinking a few cups of coffee during the day may help you stay awake, but its unlikely to protect the aging brain from mental decline or dementia, according to researchers from Finland. some studies have suggested that coffee has a protective effect on brain function in old age while others have not. One of the latest studies on the topic was done by Dr. Venla S. Laitala, at the University of Helsinki, and colleagues assessed the coffee drinking habits, as well as other social, demographic, and health data, of a large population of twin pairs who were 50 years old on average. At this point in time, 75% of the men and 83% of the women drank more than 3 cups of coffee a day. Only 4% of men and about 1% of women reported no daily coffee consumption. When the group was just over 74 years on average, the investigators conducted telephone interviews in 2,606 of the study participants (48 percent women) to specifically screen for declining cognition and dementia. They found that each year of increasing age was associated with declines in thinking abilities, regardless of gender. However, in this study, middle-age coffee consumption was not protective against "cognitive decline or preventive against dementia," Laitala said in an email correspondence. As expected, heart disease, diabetes and dissatisfaction with life were significantly associated with lower cognitive performance, the researchers report. Dr. Venla S. Laitala, at the University of Helsinki, and colleagues assessed the coffee drinking habits, as well as other social, demographic, and health data, of a large population of twin pairs who were 50 years old on average. At this point in time, 75% of the men and 83% of the women drank more than 3 cups of coffee a day. Only 4% of men and about 1% of women reported no daily coffee consumption. When the group was just over 74 years on average, the investigators conducted telephone interviews in 2,606 of the study participants (48 percent women) to specifically screen for declining cognition and dementia. They found that each year of increasing age was associated with declines in thinking abilities, regardless of gender. However, in this study, middle-age coffee consumption was not protective against "cognitive decline or preventive against dementia," Laitala said in an email correspondence. As expected, heart disease, diabetes and dissatisfaction with life were significantly associated with lower cognitive performance, the researchers report. where coffee is grown, R = Robusta coffee beans, M = both species, A = Arabica coffee beans