Common Infections May Raise Risks of Cognitive Decline

Previously, a number of studies link certain infections to an increased risk of stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Clinton Wright, from the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Miami (Florida, USA), and  colleagues report that past exposures to infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 may adversely affect performance on tests of memory, speed of mental processing, abstract thinking, planning and reasoning ability. The study authors speculate that exposure to these infections may be associated as well with an increase in stroke risk, as well as an increase in atherosclerosis and inflammation.