hs-CRP Cognitive Impact refers to the clinical relationship between elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), a systemic inflammatory biomarker, and measurable decrements in cognitive function, including memory, executive function, and processing speed. Hs-CRP, even at low-grade chronic levels, serves as a proxy for persistent systemic inflammation, which is understood to negatively affect neuroendocrine health and neuronal integrity. This link underscores the systemic nature of cognitive decline and the role of inflammation in hormonal aging.
Origin
The term is a synthesis of the biomarker hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein), which measures low-grade inflammation, and Cognitive Impact, describing the effect on mental processes. This clinical concept emerged from epidemiological and neurological studies that consistently demonstrated a correlation between chronic inflammation and increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions and measurable cognitive impairment.
Mechanism
The mechanism is hypothesized to involve the chronic inflammatory state—indicated by elevated hs-CRP—leading to the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the central nervous system, these cytokines activate microglia and astrocytes, inducing neuroinflammation. This neuroinflammatory state disrupts synaptic plasticity, impairs neurogenesis, and can interfere with the neuroendocrine signaling pathways that regulate mood and memory, thereby diminishing overall cognitive performance.
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