Study suggests infections can worsen Alzheimer's

Published on Monday 7 September 2009 21:18

ALZHEIMER'S sufferers who catch a cold or a stomach bug need to be treated as soon as possible to prevent it worsening their dementia, new research has suggested.

A study by scientists at the University of Southampton found a link between the infections and an increase in inflammation-like reactions in the brain, which led to an increased rate of cognitive decline.

The Alzheimer's Society funded research on how inflammatory proteins released during an infection might affect the brain, showed that people who got an infection had twice the rate of cognitive decline as people without infections.

The study's author, Professor Clive Holmes, said: "One might guess that people with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline are more susceptible to infections or injury, but we found no evidence to suggest people with more severe dementia were more likely to have infections or injuries at the beginning of the study."

Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said:

"We know there might be a link between inflammatory processes and Alzheimer's but this is not yet fully understood. These findings are helping us to understand more about possible reasons for this link. More research is now needed."

The research was published yesterday in the journal Neurology. The study involved 300 people.