Relationship between Silent Brain Infarction and Amount of Daily Coffee Consumption in Middle Age

In aging societies such as that of Japan, it is important to characterize lifestyle-related factors that minimize the occurrence of silent brain infarction (SBI) among the middle aged population for preventing vascular dementia in older age. Little is known about the relationship between amount of coffee consumption and SBI.

To assess the association between the amount of coffee consumption and SBI in middle age, we statistically analyzed magnetic resonance imaging findings and data from questionnaires of consecutive 242 healthy Japanese individuals whose ages were less than 65 years and who participated in a medical brain-screening program at Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center from June 2008 to June 2009.

In comparison with noncoffee drinkers (reference group), coffee drinkers who took 3-4 cups/day and 5 or more cups/day had a statistically lower incidence of SBI (.22, .07-.64, .004 and .43, .19-.99, .043, respectively). Upward logistic regression analysis indicated that SBI was influenced by 3 factors: coffee intake of 3 or more cups/day (.43, .22~.84, .014), history of hypertension (4.2, 2.0~8.8, .0001), and unemployment (2.1, 1.0~4.4, .037). As for consecutive 62 participants whose ages were 65 years or older in the same period, logistic regression analysis did not indicate that drinking coffee affected SBI incidence.

Our report demonstrated that SBI was observed less frequently in middle aged Japanese who consumed 3 cups or more of coffee per day. To avoid senile dementia and/or symptomatic infarction in older age, the middle aged individuals might have to drink more than 3 cups of coffee every day.