Coffee fights dementia

Mice at the University of South Florida have helped scientists discover a positive attribute for Alzheimer's disease in coffee. The mice were given the equivalent of two large cappucinos a day, after caffeine given to some of the mice showed they were able to perform better in memory tests than the ones who were just given water.

The caffeine mice also showed a 50% reduction in the beta amyloid protein, which clogs up the brains of dementia sufferers. However, Neil Hunt, who is chief exec of the Alzheimer's Society, said a lot more research is needed to see how caffeine may affect humans, and that it's too early to say whether or not "a cup of coffee is anything more than a pleasant pick me up."

In the meantime, our rodent friends will carry on sipping Mochas and hopefully not walking down the street with their nightdresses on calling people they've never met before "son" or "Mary". See more information on dementia links at the UK web directory