Inflammation Tied to Brain Changes in Those With Dementia

A study published in Neurobiology of Aging shows a link between chronic inflammation and visible structural changes in the brains of people with poor cognition and dementia, according to Psych Central . "Individuals who had an increase in inflammation during midlife that was maintained from mid to late life have greater abnormalities in the brain's white matter structure, as measured with MRI scans," says Keenan Walker at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "This suggests to us that inflammation may have to be chronic, rather than temporary, to have an adverse effect on important aspects of the brain's structure necessary for cognitive function." The team analyzed data from 1,532 participants, 61 percent of whom were women and 28 percent of whom were African-American. Each participant had five visits with study coordinators, averaging every three years. Outcomes revealed that the 90 people who transitioned from low to persistently elevated C-reactive protein during midlife — suggesting increasing inflammation — had the greatest damage to the white matter in the brain. The team calculated that the brains of the people who had escalating C-reactive protein in middle age showed similarity to that of a person 16 years older.