Caffeine improves control over movements, patients report

Aug 2, 2012 14:35 GMT  ·  By

McGill University Health Center Research Institute experts found in a new study that administering caffeine to Parkinson's disease patients could help them move in a more controlled fashion. The disorder severely affects motion, while simultaneously causing uncontrollable shaking and tremors.

The research adds new benefits to consuming coffee, a substance that is still the subject of much debate, in terms of its effects on the human body. Scientists know, for example, that it can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by several years.

“Research has already shown that people who drink coffee have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. This is one of the first studies to show the benefits of caffeine on motor impairment in people who have Parkinson’s disease,” says lead study author, Dr. Ronals Postuma.

Details of the new investigation were published in the latest issue of the top scientific journal Neurology, PsychCentral reports.