Intakes of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Results from five cohort studies

<div><p>Caffeine is thought to be neuroprotective by antagonizing the adenosine A_2A receptors in the brain and thereby protecting motor neurons from excitotoxicity. We examined the association between consumption of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).</p><p>Longitudinal analyses based on over 1,010,000 males and females in five large cohort studies (the Nurses’ Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study). Cohort-specific multivariable-adjusted risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimates of ALS incidence or death were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression and pooled using random-effects models. Results showed that a total of 1279 cases of ALS were documented during a mean of 18 years of follow-up. Caffeine intake was not associated with ALS risk; the pooled multivariable-adjusted RR comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of intake was 0.96 (95% CI 0.81–1.16). Similarly, neither coffee nor tea was associated with ALS risk. In conclusion, the results of this large study do not support associations of caffeine or caffeinated beverages with ALS risk.</p></div

Adjusted association between dopamine score and depressive symptoms.

<p>Cell entries are beta coefficients, standard errors (s.e.), p-values and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The HS model controlled for race/ethnicity. The STAR*D model contained controls for age (continuous), sex (0 = male; 1 = female); marital status (0 = married/cohabiting; 1 = never married; 2 = divorced, widowed, or separated); and five principle components for genetic ancestry/population stratification. The GSP model controlled for age (continuous), sex (0 = male; 1 = female), and four principle components for genetic ancestry/population stratification. Depressive symptoms were measured by 3 scales: CES-D (HS), HAM-D (STAR*D), POMS short form (GSP).</p

Summary of polymorphisms and classification for the genetic risk score.

<p>Summary of polymorphisms and classification for the genetic risk score.</p

Adjusted association between individual dopamine variants and depressive symptoms.

<p>Cell entries are beta coefficients, standard errors (s.e.), p-values and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The HS model controlled for race/ethnicity.</p