Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. scientists say.

The 55 mice used in the University of South Florida study had been bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers used behavioural tests to confirm the mice were exhibiting signs of memory impairment when they were aged 18 to 19 months, the equivalent of a 70-year-old human.

Then they gave half the mice caffeine in their drinking water. The rest were given plain water.

When the mice were again tested after two months, those who’d been given caffeine performed much better on tests measuring memory and thinking skills, performing as well as mice of the same age without dementia.

In addition, the brains of the mice given caffeine showed nearly a 50-per-cent eduction in levels of the beta amyloid protein, which forms destructive clumps in the brains of dementia patients.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

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