Inflammation in the brain resulting from infection or injury may accelerate the progress of dementia, a new study by Trinity College Dublin researchers has suggested.

The results have led researchers to warn that people with dementia should be protected from infection and inflammation as much as possible.

The researchers say until now, there had been little research into the impact of systemic inflammation on the progress of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases.
 
The TCD study in collaboration with the University of Southampton has shown that the inflammatory response to infection in mice with prior neurodegenerative disease leads to exaggerated symptoms of the infection, causes changes in memory and learning and leads to accelerated progression of dementia.
 
"Our study clearly shows the damaging effect of systemic infection or inflammation in animal models of dementia," says Dr Colm Cunningham, who led the research at TCD.
 
In previous studies, Dr Cunningham and colleagues showed that infection-induced inflammation can exacerbate nerve cell damage in animal models of dementia.

Now, the team has shown that just one episode of systemic inflammation could be sufficient to trigger a more rapid decline in neurological function.
 
"Doctors and carers need to pay increased attention to protect people with dementia from potential causes of systemic inflammation," says Dr Cunningham.

"These include preventing infection, protecting them against falls and carefully weighing up the risk-benefit ratio of non-essential surgery."
 
Dr Cunningham believes the research may provide clues for helping slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in humans.

The research, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, was funded by Wellcome Trust.