Scientists from the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore found that caffeine may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in people with certain variants of the LRRK2 gene. Research results published In The Lancet.
4488 people participated in the research. The scientists collected information about the subjects’ health conditions and examined each person’s family medical history. Volunteers also reported how much coffee and tea they consumed.
The researchers then took blood samples from the participants for a genotyping procedure to determine the presence of specific variants of the LRRK2 gene. Mutations in LRRK2 are the most common cause of inherited forms of Parkinson’s disease. Of particular interest in this study were three variants of this gene: G2385R, R1628P, and S1647T.
People who carry these Asian genetic variants have been found to have one and a half to two times higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. However, caffeine consumption significantly reduced the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in participants carrying G2385R, R1628P, and S1647T.
Most likely caffeine blocks adenosine A2A receptors. Adenosine receptors are widely distributed in various organs and tissues of the human body, including the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Changes in the number or activity of adenosine receptors can lead to the development of inflammatory processes that accompany many neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease. Inhibition of these receptors on G2385R, R1628P, and S1647T transporters by coffee is associated with reduced neuroinflammation.
existed before named Gymnastics that slows down Parkinson’s disease.