Caffeine: a cup of care? An exploration of the relation between caffeine consumption and behavioral symptoms in persons with dementia

Kromhout-Wegewijs, M.A. (2021)

Doctoral Thesis

As the number of patients suffering from dementia is still growing, most of the patients display behavioral symptoms at some time during the disease and these behavioral symptoms lower the quality of life and increase the burden of caregivers, adequate management of these symptoms is warranted. However, the etiology and management of behavioral symptoms is complex, resulting in (mis)use of pharmacological interventions: a cure which is often worse than the disease. In healthy adults, caffeine is known to influence behavior. Four different studies were conducted to see if caffeine is an easy to adjust cause or a pragmatic intervention for behavioral symptoms in patients with dementia. Based on these studies, we conclude caffeine can influence behavior in persons with dementia, but most likely not in all persons, not in all situations and not all of the time; but it can have an influence. In clinical practice it is advisable to consider caffeine as a possible moderator in the clinical assessment of behavioral symptoms in persons with dementia.

• Caffeine
• Coffee
• Dementia
• Behavioral symptoms
• Neuropsychiatric symptoms
• BPSD

• All authors: Kromhout-Wegewijs, M.A.
• Supervisor: Achterberg, W.P.; Numans, M.E.
• Co-supervisor: Rius-Ottenheim, N.
• Committee: Kiefte-de Jong, J.C.; Chavannes, N.H.; Zuidema, S.U.; Gool, W.A. van; Hemert, A.M. van
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden University
• Date: 2021-05-18
• ISBN (print): 9789463615297
• Sponsorship: Financial support for the printing of this thesis was partly provided by Tolokku.