Autoantibodies in Infection-Associated Cognitive Deficit: Pathogenic Mechanisms, Clinical Aspects, and Therapeutic Approaches
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2022) | Viewed by 278
Special Issue Editors
Interests: neuroinfectious disease; neurologic infections; cognitive infectiology; neuroimmunology; EEG; language and cognition
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent global events have reminded us that the impact of infections on cognitive abilities is a key aspect of the host–pathogen interaction (Dunn et al. 2005; Benros et al., 2015). Indeed, the current pandemic appears to be the prelude to a long-term increase in cognitive and neuropsychiatric deficits (de Erausquin et al., 2021) and the new coronavirus disease highlights the crucial importance of elucidating possible mechanistic links between infections and cognitive functions (Troyer et al., 2020) in order to develop effective and precise interventions. Not just viruses, but also bacteria and parasites are associated with cognitive deterioration.
The immune system is a key player in the interaction between pathogens and the human brain. Specifically, autoantibody production in association with infection appears to bear pathogenic potential for cognitive impairment. Molecular mimicry, among other mechanisms, has been proposed to mediate such autoimmune phenomena. However, a detailed mechanistic account of autoantibody-mediated para-/post-infective neuronal and cognitive damage is still missing.
Moreover, if and how anti-neuronal antibodies can affect specific cognitive functions like memory, language, and attention is largely unknown. Bridging the gap between the molecular immunology of infection-induced autoimmunity and cognitive neurology would result in better diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
With the present call, we intend to collect the most recent evidence on:
- Biological and molecular mechanisms originating autoantibodies targeting the brain during and after infections;
- Pathogenic effects exerted by anti-neuronal autoantibodies at the molecular level (not necessarily limited to post-infectious etiology);
- Neuropsychological patterns of cognitive deficits associated with specific microbes and/or autoantibodies;
- Neuroimaging and functional indexes of cognition in para-/post-infectious autoimmunity.
Dr. Guglielmo Lucchese
Dr. Antje Vogelgesang
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- autoantibodies
- cognition
- infections
- autoimmunity
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