According to the researchers, measuring the level of caffeine in the blood could prove extremely useful in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, even in its early stages. The results of research published in “Neurology” show that people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, after consuming caffeine, have clearly lower blood levels of this substance than healthy people.
According to researchers from the University of Juntendo in Tokyo (Japan) and the University of Toronto (Canada), measuring caffeine levels in the blood may be a useful part of the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, even in its early stages.
Based on a study conducted on a group of 108 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 31 healthy volunteers of the same age, specialists found that measuring the concentration of caffeine and its metabolites in the blood allows for the correct diagnosis of the disease in 98 cases out of 100.
Participants consumed the same amount of caffeine (the equivalent of two cups of coffee) on a daily basis. Nevertheless, in healthy people its concentration was on average 79 picomoles per 10 microliters of blood, and in people with Parkinson’s disease only 24 picomoles. Patients with Parkinson’s disease were also characterized by lower levels of nine out of eleven metabolites tested.
The limitations of the study include the fact that the study group did not include people in the advanced stage of the disease. Moreover, all patients participating in the study were under the influence of drugs, which could have influenced its final results.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a disease of the central nervous system and is one of the most common degenerative diseases of the nervous system. In 1817, the first medical description of the disease was made by the London physician James Parkinson. It is from his name that the disease takes its name. Parkinson’s disease may be preceded by depression and olfactory disorders. The first symptoms suggesting Parkinson’s disease appear between the ages of 50 and 60. Patients then experience drooling, difficulty speaking, and movement disorders. The older the patient, the more frequent the symptoms. Parkinson’s disease does not only occur in older people, it can also affect younger people, whose first symptoms appear before the age of 40.