Studies show that increasing the amount of coffee a person drinks can higher the risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). More than the normal aging process, cognitive impairment gives a person difficulty remembering, concentrating and learning new things. It can also affect the decision making of the individual.

The study from Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging involved more than 5,600 men and women aging from 65 to 84. Dr. Vincenzo Solfrizzi from the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy including other researchers explored the relation between MCI and coffee drinking habits.

The team found that normal adults who drink one to two cups of coffee per day regularly had lower rate of developing the MCI compared to non-coffee drinkers and those who rarely drank coffee.

However, older individuals who are cognitively healthy had two times higher rate of developing the impairment when they modified their coffee consumption by increasing the amount with time. The rate is considerably higher compared to those with reduced habits.

The researchers concluded that moderate and regular coffee consumption may have neuroprotective effects than not drinking coffee. The research confirmed other earlier studies about the long-term protective effects of coffee, caffeine and tea consumption.

The researchers linked the discovered protective effects to the ability of coffee to activate adenosine A2ARs. These receptors are known to improve damage in the brains of individuals having Alzheimer's disease.

In studies involving animals, the team notes that high amount of caffeine is necessary to reduce activation of certain A2ARs. This explains the cognitive behavior of people who never or rarely drank coffee and those who consumed high amounts.

Mild cognitive impairment is categorized as an early sign of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. According to the findings of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 million people in the US area are affected by the MCI.