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Coffee and its effects on pain and cognition

P-092 - (Poster #92) Coffee and its effects on pain and cognition

Thursday, September 4, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PST
Location:  Exhibit Hall (Level 4)
Background:






One of the world’s most popular beverages, coffee has enjoyed a mixed status in terms of health benefits. Animal studies have demonstrated neuroprotective benefits from coffee that are not as clear in clinical trials of humans. Caffeine likely plays a role in cognitive support, but coffee also contains an abundance of polyphenols with an antioxidant effect. Epidemiologic studies suggest that regular coffee consumption affords protection against both Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease, although the mechanisms remain unknown.1-3 Coffee may also play an important but as yet not fully elucidated role in pain care.

Caffeine is known to modulate receptors and affect brain channel activity, but coffee has unique benefits not shared by other caffeinated beverages or foods.4 As a natural botanical substance, coffee presents challenges to researchers since there are many different types of beans, roasting techniques, consumption patterns (dosing), and ways of preparing coffee, all of which may impact how coffee affects the brain.



Purpose/Objectives:

With an aging global population and increased longevity, neurodegenerative disorders are rising, but treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease are still in early stages. Investigating coffee’s potential neuroprotective benefits is important, particularly in relation to how its constituents affect neuroplasticity. While limited studies on coffee’s neuroplastic effects exist, much research has examined its impact on cognition, memory, and alertness. Coffee’s role in pain management is less studied, though caffeine has a known synergistic effect with analgesics like acetaminophen. Additionally, caffeine, as a central nervous system stimulant, may help combat fatigue in patients using prescription painkillers. By promoting the release of catecholamines, caffeine can also induce vasoconstriction, alleviating pain from conditions like migraines and inflammation. This review aims to consolidate existing literature, provide updates for clinicians, and guide future research on coffee’s therapeutic potential.

Methods:

This is a narrative review based on literature researched on the PubMed and Google Scholar databases on March 26, 2025. The search was limited to articles published in English in the past 10 years. The same day, a second search was conducted, limited to clinical trials, or randomized clinical trials published in the past 10 years using the keywords “coffee + brain.” The search yielded 18 results, of which one was excluded as it was correspondence rather than a clinical trial, leaving 17 studies to consider. These results are shown in the table.
This is a narrative and not a systematic review because there are relatively few studies, and they are heterogeneous with different methodologies and different types and consumption patterns of coffee.

Results:








Adult neurogenesis may be facilitated by exercise, environmental stimulation, and possibly diet. Coffee plays a clear role in brain activity (table). Caffeine is clearly responsible for an ergogenic effect and affects the adenosine system by blocking adenosine receptors but not inhibiting adenosine triphosphate (ATP) receptors. Adenosine is an endogenous central nervous system modulator and high levels of adenosine are biomarkers for neuronal activity. Adenosine is also an anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory agent that may have both neuroprotective effects and analgesic benefits.

 

Other chemical constituents in coffee worthy of investigation include polyphenols: these include cholinergic acids, chlorogenic acids, caffeic acids, and trigonelline. Coffee also contains diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol, the latter of which promotes mitochondrial protection.5

 

Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT) is a natural fatty acid derived from serotonin and found in coffee beans. Unrelated to caffeine, EHT was shown in preclinical studies to protect cognition. EHT interacts with protein phosphatase (PP2A) and it has been speculated that deranged PP2A methylation is associated with Alzheimer’s disease via hyperhomocysteinemia.6

 

Coffee’s role in pain care is more complex. Many analgesics are associated with fatigue and lack of alertness, which can be relieved by coffee. Pain itself can blur cognition, and coffee can improve cognitive function impaired by pain. Caffeine in coffee has certain synergistic benefits with many over-the-counter analgesic products remedies and promotes the release of endogenous catecholamines which promote vasoconstriction. Further, coffee is considered as a home remedy to aid in pain control associated with certain forms of headache. Whether these benefits are associated solely with caffeine or involve the interplay of caffeine with other constituents in coffee remain to be elucidated.

 



Conclusions/Implications for future research and/or clinical care: Coffee is a natural substance, widely consumed, and associated with enhanced performance and alertness. Consistent use of coffee has been linked to protection against such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, although the mechanisms are not elucidated. Coffee’s benefits may involve its polyphenols or other substances, along with caffeine, or possibly the synergistic interaction among these constituents of coffee. Some studies even suggest that regular coffee drinking can alter brain morphology. Unlocking the secrets of coffee may provide important insights into neuroprotection. Certainly, it advances the old medical belief that food can be medicine.