Caffeine Could Help in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Caffeine is extensively consumed worldwide in coffee, tea and, soft drinks could help control movement in individuals affected by from Parkinson's. This is actually the finding of a survey performed at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) that was recently posted in Neurology-, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The research opens the door to new methods of treatment for Parkinson's disease that affects about 100 000 Canadians.

"This is one of the first research studies to show the rewards of caffeine on motor impairment in individuals who have Parkinson's disease," stated Dr. Ronald Postuma, lead author of the study, a researcher in neurosciences at the RI MUHC, and Professor of Medicine in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University. "Study has exposed that people who drink coffee contain a lower probability of developing Parkinson's disease, but as yet no assessment had checked out the instant clinical consequences of this finding."

Caffeine-one most frequently used psychomotor stimulators within the world-it acts on the nervous system and cardiovascular system by temporarily decreasing weariness and enhancing alertness.

According to Dr. Postuma, sleepiness is usually linked to Parkinson's disease. "We planned to discover how caffeine could influence sleepiness in addition to motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. An example would be slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, shaking and lack of balance."

The scientists followed a small grouping 61 individuals with Parkinson's. As the control group acquired a placebo pill, the other group of individuals received a 100 mg dose of caffeine two times per day for 3 weeks after which 200 mg two times per day for an additional three weeks.

"The individuals who consume caffeine supplements skilled an optimistic development throughout their motor symptoms over individuals who obtained the placebo," said Dr. Postuma. "This was on account of development in speed of movement as well as a lowering of stiffness." Caffeine had only medium effects on drowsiness, and did not influence depression or nighttime sleep quality within the study individuals.