Coffee and Parkinson’s Disease
摘要
Various environmental factors have been described to have an association with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD), such as exposure to pesticides, environmental pollution, or repetitive head injury. Similarly, some environmental factors have been found to have potential protective effects on the risk of PD, with notable examples of caffeine and tobacco consumption. In this chapter, we discuss current evidence that links caffeine consumption to PD. The positive impact of coffee on PD has been mainly attributed to neuroprotective studies both in animals and humans. Numerous epidemiological studies have supported that coffee mainly protects against PD at the early stages, especially in males, while in females, this effect appears to be much more complex, possibly due to hormonal influences. Finally, and in line with tailored approaches offered by personalized medicine, there seems to be an individual reaction to the effect of caffeine on PD, possibly also influenced by genetic factors, as in the case of LRRK2 variant carriers.