Cognitive slowing associated with elevated serum anticholinergic activity in older individuals is decreased by caffeine use.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether some of the age-associated decrements in basic cognitive resources (information-processing speed and working memory) result from anticholinergic medication use (as measured by serum anticholinergic activity [SAA]) and whether such decrements are lessened by caffeine.


METHODS
Cross-sectional observational study.


METHODS
University medical center.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-two normal-elderly community volunteers.


METHODS
Two tests each of information-processing speed and of working memory were administered, and blood samples were drawn before and after cognitive testing to determine serum levels of anticholinergic activity and of paraxanthine-a caffeine metabolite.


RESULTS
Elevated SAA was associated with a significant but modest slowing in information-processing time but only in those individuals who had low levels of serum paraxanthine. SAA did not correlate with performance on tests of working memory.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that anticholinergic medications are a relatively minor contributor to the decrements in basic processing resources commonly found in studies of normal aging.
Nebes
Robert D
RD
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. nebesrd@upmc.edu
Pollock
Bruce G
BG
Halligan
Edythe M
EM
Houck
Patricia
P
Saxton
Judith A
JA
D000368:Aged; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D002110:Caffeine
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