Home › Research › Mild cognitive impairment
Review: systemic inflammation and Alzheimer's disease
Holmes C.. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology, 2013-02-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
There is a great deal of evidence suggesting an important role for systemic inflammation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The role of systemic inflammation, and indeed inflammation in general, is still largely considered to be as a contributor to the disease process rather than of aetiological importance although there is emerging evidence to suggest that its role may predate the deposition of amyloid. Therapies aimed at reducing inflammation in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease have been disappointing and have largely focused on the need to ameliorate central inflammation with little attention to the importance of dampening down systemic inflammation. Novel approaches in this area require a greater understanding of the effects of systemic inflammation on the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease and of the communicating pathways between the systemic and central innate immune systems.
Key findings
- The role of systemic inflammation, and indeed inflammation in general, is still largely considered to be as a contributor to the disease process rather than of aetiological importance although there is emerging evidence to suggest that its role may predate the deposition of amyloid.
Why it matters
This review states that systemic inflammation is generally considered a contributor to Alzheimer's disease rather than a cause, though emerging evidence suggests its role may predate amyloid deposition. It notes that therapies aimed at reducing inflammation in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease have been disappointing, and it does not report any treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuropathology and applied neurobiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology: journal h-index 143 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 356 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 23.7 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 58 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Clive Holmes: h-index 79 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Southampton: institution h-index 938 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23046210) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Holmes, C. (2013). Review: systemic inflammation and Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2990.2012.01307.x
Vancouver
Holmes C. Review: systemic inflammation and Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathology and applied neurobiology. 2013. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2990.2012.01307.x. PMID: 23046210.
BibTeX
@article{holmes2013-23046210,
author = {Holmes, C.},
title = {{Review: systemic inflammation and Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Neuropathology and applied neurobiology},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2990.2012.01307.x},
pmid = {23046210},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2990.2012.01307.x}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 31.
Later studies that cite this one
10 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in Mild cognitive impairment
Also in Mild cognitive impairment
76 studies in the library are filed under Mild cognitive impairment with no topic tag they share with another; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed tour of them. The Mild cognitive impairment hub.