According to scientists, taking caffeine on daily basis blocks the troublesome effects of high cholesterol which is linked to Alzheimer's disease. A recent study in the open access publication, Journal of Neuroinflammation, reported that the intake of caffeine equal to one cup of coffee will protect the blood-brain barrier (BBB) from harm that occurred with a high-fat diet.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the central nervous system from the rest of the body's circulation. BBB provides brain with its own regulated microenvironment. Earlier researches in this field showed that high cholesterol level break down the BBB. This may result in the lack of protection of nervous system from the damage caused by blood borne contagion. BBB leakage is most common in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

This research was conducted by the researchers from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. During the research, the researchers gave 3 mg caffeine on daily basis to a rabbit. Also, they gave cholesterol-enriched diet to the rabbit during this period.

After a period of 12 weeks the laboratory tests showed that the BBB was intact in rabbits getting a daily dose of caffeine. Jonathan Geiger, one of the researchers from University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences said caffeine has the ability to protect the effects of cholesterol which makes the blood-brain barrier leaky.

High cholesterol level is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, may be due to the compromise in the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. The researchers identified that the chronic ingestion of caffeine has the ability to protect the BBB from cholesterol-induced leakage. Caffeine has the ability to maintain the expression levels of tight junction proteins and thereby protect the BBB breakdown. The cells of BBB are tightly bounded by the junction proteins to stop unnecessary molecules crossing into the central nervous system. The researches so far proved that caffeine intake protects against memory loss in aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

According to Geiger, caffeine can be considered as the readily available drug and has the capability to stabilize the blood-brain barrier and it may have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders in the future.