Friday, January 24, 2014

I sound like a broken record

Not that many of you remember those old things...

Infections damage our ability to form spatial memories
Increased inflammation following an infection impairs the brain's ability to form spatial memories – according to new research. The impairment results from a decrease in glucose metabolism in the brain's memory centre, disrupting the neural circuits involved in learning and memory.
...
A reduction in glucose metabolism within the brain's memory centre, known as the Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL), was seen following inflammation. Participants also performed less well in spatial memory tasks, an effect that appeared to be directly mediated by the change in MTL metabolism.
Tell me about it.
And guess what increases glucose metabolism in the Medial Temporal Lobe?  Orexin.
And guess what decreases after systemic infection?  Orexin
And guess what the number one cause of systemic infection is...
hint