All articles tagged with #brain inflammation
New research across the U.S. and other countries finds that receiving the shingles vaccine—especially Shingrix—might lower dementia risk in older adults by reducing brain inflammation, though most studies are observational and benefits vary by sex and prior vaccination; vaccination rates are still low despite potential protection.
Health officials warn that a deadly tick-borne disease capable of causing brain inflammation is spreading across the United States. The illness can progress to severe encephalitis or meningitis, with cases reported in multiple regions. There is currently no vaccine or specific cure; prevention centers on avoiding tick bites, using repellents, performing thorough tick checks after outdoor activity, and promptly removing any attached ticks.
A New Hampshire man, 66, is hospitalized in Boston after contracting Powassan virus from a tick bite, leaving him nonverbal as doctors treat potential brain inflammation. Powassan is rarer than Lyme but can be severe, with no cure or vaccine; treatment is supportive, and some cases require hospitalization. Ticks can transmit the virus in as little as 15 minutes, and prevention—using repellent, wearing protective clothing, and checking for ticks—is crucial as cases rise with climate-related tick expansion.
Finnish researchers used TSPO-PET and MRI to scan 14 long COVID patients, 11 healthy controls, and 13 MS patients, finding no evidence of widespread brain inflammation in long COVID and suggesting inflammatory activity may be higher earlier after infection and fade over time. Notably, more severe symptoms correlated with increased activity in emotion-regulation regions like the amygdala and hippocampus, pointing to emotional processing rather than ongoing neuroinflammation as a potential driver and hinting that treatments could focus on stress management and emotional regulation rather than solely anti-inflammatory approaches. The study is published in the Journal of Neurology (2026).
A University of Turku study using PET and MRI found no evidence of widespread brain inflammation in long COVID patients compared with healthy controls. Inflammation may be higher earlier after infection and fade over time. More severe symptoms correlated with increased activity in emotion-related regions (hippocampus and amygdala), suggesting treatments focusing on stress management and emotional regulation rather than solely anti-inflammatory approaches.
A Tulane study using a mouse model found that while both COVID-19 and influenza can cause lasting lung injury, only SARS-CoV-2 infection led to persistent brain inflammation and microvascular damage after the virus was no longer detectable, helping explain long-COVID brain symptoms and highlighting distinct brain-attack mechanisms from flu; findings could inform post-infection monitoring and treatment.
A rat study from the University of Technology Sydney links inflammation in the striatum, driven by astrocytes, to more deliberate, goal-directed compulsive actions—challenging the view that compulsions are automatic habits and pointing to anti-inflammatory treatments as potential therapies.
UT Health San Antonio researchers found that low-dose THC combined with the anti-inflammatory celecoxib delayed or reduced Alzheimer’s-like brain changes and improved memory in mice, while THC alone increased inflammatory signals. The study, published in Aging and Disease, suggests this drug combo could move toward clinical trials to slow disease progression, though results in humans remain uncertain.
A study suggests that an X-linked gene called KDM6A, which is more active in women, may contribute to higher rates of multiple sclerosis in women by promoting brain inflammation. Deleting this gene in female mice reduced symptoms, and the drug metformin showed potential in calming inflammation, indicating sex-specific treatment possibilities.
Scientists have identified that the protein TSPO, indicating brain inflammation, appears in specific brain regions at the same time as early amyloid-beta plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease, potentially enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention, with findings confirmed in both mouse models and human tissue.
Recent studies suggest that gum disease bacteria, specifically P. gingivalis, may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease by infecting the brain and promoting amyloid beta production, with some evidence indicating this infection could be an early event in the disease process.
A study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave skull bone marrow and gather in the brain's membranes, contributing to depression symptoms. Blocking an immune pathway reduced these cells and improved mood in mice, suggesting new immune-targeted treatments for depression, especially for those unresponsive to current drugs.
A rare genetic disorder called complement factor I deficiency, which is more common in the Amish community due to the founder effect, was identified as the cause of brain inflammation in an Amish girl at CHOP, leading to better diagnosis and treatment for similar cases in the community.
Recent research suggests a potential link between the human pegivirus (HPgV) and Parkinson's disease, with the virus found in the brains of some patients. While the study does not establish causation, it highlights the possible role of viral infections in triggering neurodegenerative processes, adding to the understanding of Parkinson's complex causes. Further research is needed to confirm this connection.
Research suggests that okra may help protect against weight gain by reducing brain inflammation and improving metabolic health, based on a recent rat study. While promising, human trials are needed to confirm these benefits.