Editorial: The Relationships Between Infectious Agents and Dementia, 2022, Lay Khoon Too et al

Many infectious agents are capable of disrupting the normal functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) by invading the brain parenchyma. Some of these pathogens, for example encephalitic viruses and meningitis bacteria, cause acute perturbations, whilst the effects of others, such as prions and Toxoplasma gondii, are realized much more slowly. The protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum can cause acute fatal cerebral complications without extravasating into brain tissue.

During the last few years, evidence has gradually accumulated suggesting that certain pathogens may interfere with the normal functioning of the brain, over extended periods, without entering the CNS. Likely mechanisms include releasing soluble factors that can cross the blood-brain barrier, or inducing their production by the host immune system, or both. It has been hypothesized that these sorts of mechanisms may contribute to the neurodegeneration that is central to dementias, including Alzheimer's disease.

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