Infections of the nervous system elicit neuroimmune responses and alter neurotransmission, affecting host neurological functions. Chronic infection with the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma correlates with certain neurological disorders in humans and alters behavior in rodents. Here, we propose that the crosstalk between neurotransmission and neuroinflammation may underlie some of these cognitive changes. We discuss how T. gondii infection suppresses noradrenergic signaling and how the restoration of this pathway improves behavioral aberrations, suggesting that altered neurotransmission and neuroimmune responses may act in concert to perturb behavior. This interaction might apply to other infectious agents, such as viruses, that elicit cognitive changes. We hypothesize that neurotransmitter signaling in immune cells can contribute to behavioral changes associated with brain infection, offering opportunities for potential therapeutic targeting.

神经系统感染引起神经免疫反应并改变神经传递，影响宿主神经功能。apicomplexan寄生虫弓形虫的慢性感染与人类某些神经系统疾病有关，并改变了啮齿动物的行为。在这里，我们建议神经传递和神经炎症之间的串扰可能是其中一些认知变化的基础。我们讨论弓形虫感染抑制去甲肾上腺素能信号传导，以及该途径的恢复如何改善行为异常，表明改变的神经传递和神经免疫反应可能与扰动行为协调一致。这种相互作用可能适用于引起认知变化的其他传染原，例如病毒。我们假设免疫细胞中的神经递质信号可以促进与脑部感染相关的行为改变，从而为潜在的靶向治疗提供机会。