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Anyone read any research articles regarding coffee intake and essential tremors or other neurological diseases or syndromes? Sincerely, Nancy Perry Cohen wrote: > > http://neurology.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2000/11/11.14/20001113epid006.html > > Anthony J. Brown, MD > > WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Nov 14 - Drinking coffee may reduce the > risk of > Parkinson's disease, according to a recent study by investigators from > the Mayo Clinic, in > Rochester, Minnesota. The reason for the association is unclear, but the > study warns that > this "does not imply that coffee has a direct protective effect against > Parkinson's disease." > > In a report published in the November 14th issue of Neurology, Dr. > Demetrius M. > Maraganore and colleagues identified 196 subjects who developed > Parkinson's disease > (PD) from 1976 to 1995. "Each case was individually matched by age and > sex to a > general population control subject" who was "free of PD, other > parkinsonism, or tremor > of any type." The medical records of all subjects were reviewed to > abstract exposure > information. > > The researchers found that "coffee drinking was significantly more > common in control > subjects than cases." The investigators noted a "significant trend of > decreasing risk with > increasing number of cups per day." Furthermore, PD patients who drank > coffee > experienced a later onset of the disease than those who did not. These > findings, the > authors mention, agree with other reports that have shown an inverse > association > between coffee use and PD. > > "The inverse association with coffee remained significant after > adjustment for education, > smoking, and alcohol drinking and was restricted to PD cases with onset > at age [younger > than] 72 years and to men," the authors state. > > An association between PD and tobacco use was also demonstrated. Tobacco > chewing > or snuff use was "significantly more common in control subjects than > cases." The > association with tobacco smoking was similar, but it did not reach > statistical significance. > > Also, significantly more alcoholics were identified among the control > subjects than among > the PD patients. Although previous reports have demonstrated a > relationship between > alcohol consumption and a lower risk of PD, no such association was > observed in this > study. > > The investigators suggest a premorbid personality, stimulant > intolerance, or an underlying > olfactory deficit may explain the low use of stimulants seen in PD > patients. Another > possibility, the authors mention, is that coffee use, smoking, and > drinking alcohol may > have a direct protective effect against PD. > > Caffeine has been shown in some studies to block adenosine receptors. > "Interestingly, the > adenosine A-2A receptor modulates the nigrostriatal dopamine system, and > antagonists > of that receptor have been proposed as therapy for PD," the authors > report. > > "Against a causal association between coffee, smoking, and possibly > alcohol and PD is > the lack of specificity. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol have different > pharmacologic or > metabolic effects on the brain," the authors state. > > Reached for comment, Dr. Maraganore told Reuters Health that a study > earlier this year > showed similar findings. Many patients asked if they should be consuming > more coffee, > he said. Dr. Maraganore emphasized that one must look at the whole > picture and not > simply assume that coffee prevents PD. > > Neurology 2000;55:1350-1358.