Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Neuropsychiatry

Advancing age is known to be associated with disruption of homeostasis in the immune system. Although the effects of aging on immune function are poorly understood, the aging brain has been characterized by a shift in the homeostatic balance of inflammatory mediators observed in mid-adulthood .In the last decade, a body of evidence has consistently demonstrated an association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and cognitive impairment in elderly, especially in the domains of attention, working memory, and executive functions. Additionally, Immune status has also been associated with major depressive disorder (MDD) relative to healthy individuals. When the release of inflammatory cytokines is excessive or sustained, the inflammatory mediators predominantly, IL 6, have neurotoxic effects on neurons and glial cells.The effect of this immunologic shift on cognitive performance is unclear. Some longitudinal studies have indicated a relationship between high cytokine levels, e.g., interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), in peripheral plasma and development of multiple forms of dementia

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