There is some evidence that brain function can start to deteriorate as early as 45 years old. In addition, older adults are susceptible to developing neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, for which there is no treatment at present77.
This has triggered extensive research into various factors, mainly related to diet and lifestyle. Caffeine is known to have stimulating properties on human cognitive function, including positive effects on alertness, concentration78, learning, memory and mood79. Caffeine is also known to stimulate motor activity in animals and humans. Because of these properties, caffeine is considered a likely candidate for delaying and/or preventing physiological, age-related cognitive decline as well as a number of neurodegenerative disorders – Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases, as well as stroke. However, more research is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.