The relationship between common infections, education, and neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made us more aware of the threats posed by viruses to health. Common infections, because of their ubiquity and their being latent and indolent, are popularly perceived as non-threatening. However, they could have long-term detrimental effects later in life; they persist in the body and could become more virulent at older ages with decreasing immunocompetence. Increasing evidence suggests a potential role of common infections in neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive decline although it is not robust enough to support a causal association. Also, evidence on the underlying mechanisms and on the role of genetic and social factors in these relationships are scarce. My project will try to fill these research gaps by assessing the relationship of common infections with neurodegeneration, particularly in relation to AD, and cognitive decline and the role of inflammation, education, and genetics in these associations.