# Inflammation in the Blood Shows Up as Damage in Brain Wiring

*Plasma inflammatory markers and brain white matter microstructure in late middle-aged and older adults.*

- **Evidence Level**: Moderate
- **Publication Types**: Journal Article, Preprint
- **Journal**: medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences
- **Sample Size**: 457 dementia-free adults, average age 64
- **Authors**: Mishra S, Pettigrew C, Ugonna C, Chen NK, Frye JB, Doyle KP, Ryan L, Albert M, Ho SG, Moghekar A, Soldan A, Paitel ER
- **Published**: 2026-04-22
- **Topics**: inflammation, brain health, white matter
- **DOI**: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.20.26351124
- **Original Source**: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42078380/

## Summary

In late middle-aged and older adults, higher levels of inflammatory markers in blood were tied to subtle changes in white matter, the brain's wiring. People with more pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP showed signs of disrupted neural fibers. The link held even after accounting for Alzheimer's biomarkers. This supports the idea that chronic inflammation quietly chips away at brain health.

## Practical Takeaway

This study suggests that managing chronic inflammation may matter for protecting the brain's wiring as we age.

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