London, April 4: Regular intake of coffee or caffeine by patients with Alzheimer's disease may deteriorate their neuropsychiatric symptoms, including but not limited to anxiety, say researchers.

 While it is well known that memory problems are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, this dementia is also characterized by neuropsychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, apathy, depression, hallucinations, paranoid, sundowning and more known as  Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) which may be strongly present already in the first stages of the disorder.

The results indicate that caffeine worsened these symptoms in mice with Alzheimer's.

The researchers also discovered significant effects, especially in relation to neophobia -- a fear of everything new -- anxiety-related behaviours, and emotional and cognitive flexibility.

"The mice develop Alzheimer's disease in a very close manner to the human patients with early-onset form of the disease," said lead author Raquel Baeta-Corral from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain.

"They not only exhibit the typical cognitive problems but also a number of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)-like symptoms, so it is a valuable model to address whether the benefits of caffeine will be able to compensate its putative negative effects."

For the study, the team analyzed the effect of caffeine on normal ageing mice and familial Alzheimer’s models.

However, coffee has also been suggested as a strategy to prevent dementia, both in patients with Alzheimer's disease and in normal ageing processes, due to its action in blocking molecules - adenosine receptors - which may cause dysfunctions and diseases in old age.

But "our observations of adverse caffeine effects in an Alzheimer's disease model together with previous clinical observations suggest that an exacerbation of BPSD-like symptoms may partly interfere with the beneficial cognitive effects of caffeine", the researchers said.

 

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Chennai, Apr 23: Marcus Stoinis smashed an outstanding century to trump Ruturaj Gaikwad's effort as Lucknow Super Giants beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in an IPL match on Tuesday.

Stoinis remained unbeaten 124 off 63 balls with 13 fours and six sixes as LSG completed a record run chase at the Chepauk in 19.3 overs. This was also highest individual score in IPL in a run-chase.

Earlier, skipper Gaikwad led from the front with a superb 60-ball unbeaten 108 as Chennai Super Kings posted a challenging 210 for 4 . Gaikwad's knock, his second IPL hundred, was studded with 12 fours and three sixes. Shivam Dube muscled his way to a 27-ball-66, hitting seven sixes. For LSG, Matt Henry took for 1 for 28.

Brief Scores:

CSK 210 for 4 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 108 not out, Shivam Dube 66, Matt Henry 1/28)

LSG 213/4 (Marcus Stoinis 124 not out).