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August 31, 2007 - to Drink at least three cups of coffee. or six cups of tea - per day would have beneficial effects on the memory and the cognitive cleverness of the women aged of 65 years and more, concludes a survey française1.

The French researchers of the national institute of health and the medical research (INSERM) examined during four years the relation between the consumption of caféine2 and the cognitive performance at close to 7 000 participants.

According to the results, the women who consume at least three cups of coffee and six cups of tea per day would run 30% less risks to endure problems of memory that those that drink a cup or less of them. To 80 years and more, this proportion climbs to 70%. Thus, the protective effects of caffeine on the brain of the women would increase with age.

No effect on Alzheimer’s illness

On the other hand, caffeine would not protect against the apparition of Alzheimer’s illness. ” We have need to pursue this survey again two years to study the relation better between caffeine and Alzheimer. It is likely that the consumption of caffeine doesn’t play a role on the apparition of the illness, but on his/her/its progression”, explain the main searcher of the survey, Karen Ritchie.

No relation was able to non to be established between the consumption of caffeine and the cognitive performances of the men. According to the researchers, it is possible that the men and the women metabolize caffeine differently or that an interaction exists between caffeine and the hormones.

The participants to the survey, 4 197 women and 2 820 men of 65 years and more, came from three French cities:  Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier. Their intellectual faculties have been measured with the help of different tests psychométriques, of which the MMSE form (Mini Mental State Examination), used commonly for the tracking of the craziness. A clinical exam and an assessment of the consumption of caffeine of the topics have been made in the beginning of the survey and after two years and four years. In their analysis, the researchers took account of the sex of the individuals, of their state of health and different factors sociodémographiques as age and the education.

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