at the WPC in washington DC in Feb, one of the speakers referred to coffee as a cheap adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist. Istradefylline, an adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist continues to be studied in PD patients--a Phase 3 trial was begun in March 05, referred to as "long term, multicenter study" ; a recent report on another phase 3 study on this drug can be found at:

http://tinyurl.com/jdyhd

meanwhile:
Caffeine Aids Levodopa in Some Parkinson's Patients

By David Douglas

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 29 - Caffeine appears to enhances the bioavailability of levodopa used in treatment of Parkinson's disease, researchers report in the September issue of Neurology.

"Although the study is an evaluation of a single dose of caffeine in a small number of parkinsonian patients, it shows that in certain patients the effect of levodopa may be

enhanced following the intake of caffeine," lead investigator Dr. Dirk Deleu told Reuters Health.

Dr. Deleu of Gamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar and colleagues note that there have been mixed reports of the efficacy of this combination.

To investigate further, the researchers conducted a double-blind crossover study of 12 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

They received oral caffeine 200 mg or placebo 15 minutes before treatment with a standard tablet of levodopa 250 mg with carbidopa 25 mg. The second session was conducted 48 hours later.

The researchers assessed responses by the speed of alternative finger tapping in the most affected hand, the walking speed and tremor and dyskinesia score.

In particular, although there was significant intersubject variability, the researchers found a non-significant 39% increase in the magnitude of tapping. This and other responses continued to increase over the 3-hour testing period.

The findings, say the investigators, suggest that caffeine may play a role in dopamine receptor-mediator interactions. These and other results, they add, suggest that more selective adenosine antagonists may be of benefit as synergistc adjuncts to conventional antiparkinsonian agents.

Neurology 2006;67:897-899.

coffee with milk, makes me sleepy?
coffee just black taste horrible, and it wakes me up -just a small taste

a cup of black coffee makes me shake!

Tea is better for me...

thank you olsen...

Why you ought to break your coffee habit and drink tea instead.
To the average american, coffee is a daily habit. But little do they realize the implications of drinking this roasted bean...

Coffee is linked to heart disease, according to a study done by researchers at the European Society of Cardiology. Apparently it causes the arteries to harden, putting your heart under strain and raising your blood pressure. Not only that, but there are chemicals in coffee that are linked to heart disease and strokes. Not even filtered coffee can stop that.

Which is why you should switch to tea.

According to John Weisburger, Ph.D., tea can not only reduce the risk of heart disease, but also according to studies done by the University of Cambridge School of Medicine, it can strengthen bones and prevent against osteoporosis in women. And there's a chance that it may help to prevent cancer, as well.
Oh yes, and studies have shown that compounds in black tea attach bacteria causing gum disease and cavities. In fact, they can even "suppress growth and acid production of cavity-causing bacteria in dental plaque."

Then again, if you've been drinking coffee all your life and are depressed by these facts, you'd better drink more coffee. Word has it that drinking coffee prevents suicide.

a note about studies? they prove whatever the scientist at Amgen is paid for them to show -

Some years ago, my doctor ditected a skipped heart beat; frequent enough to be of some concern. While we were trying to determine the cause I mentioned that I was drinking up to 6 cans of diet coke per day (the coke with caffeine). He told me to phase it out. I did and the skipped heart beat diappeared. Since caffeine was implicated here I cut out all caffeinated drinks including coffee. Never got on to decaf.

Lloyd