Objective: This study investigated cognitive differences among patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) according to coffee consumption and smoking status.

Background: PD is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairment in addition to motor symptoms. Although coffee consumption and smoking are both associated with a reduced risk of PD, their effects on cognitive function in patients with established disease remain uncertain.

Method: Coffee consumption and smoking status were assessed using a semi-structured interview. Motor and non-motor symptoms were evaluated using standardized clinical scales, and cognitive function was assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery.

Results: Among 149 patients with early PD, 115 (77.1%) were coffee consumers and 48 (32.2%) were smokers. Coffee consumers were younger, more frequently male, had longer formal education, higher Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and lower body mass index (BMI) compared with non-consumers. Smokers were also predominantly male and had longer formal education. After adjustment for relevant covariates, coffee consumers demonstrated significantly higher performance on the Go–No–Go test, with no significant differences observed in other cognitive domains. Smoking status was not associated with significant differences in cognitive performance. In analyses stratified by coffee intake level (non-consumers, ≤1 cup/day, and >1 cup/day), significant group differences were observed in Calculation, Contrasting Program, and Go–No–Go tests. Post hoc analyses showed that the >1 cup/day group performed significantly better than the ≤1 cup/day group on Calculation and better than non-consumers on the Go–No–Go test.

Conclusion: Higher levels of coffee consumption were selectively associated with better frontal executive inhibition and calculation performance in early PD, whereas smoking showed no independent cognitive association. These findings suggest that habitual caffeine intake may be linked to preservation of specific cognitive functions in early PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/association-of-coffee-consumption-and-smoking-with-cognitive-function-in-patients-with-early-parkinsons-disease/