Proinflammatory mediators such as TNFα and CCL2, which were upregulated in the plasma and frontal cortex here, are potent inhibitors of long-term potentiation (an in vitro model of memory) as well as learning in hippocampally mediated cognitive tests in intact animals and are elevated in the brain of patients suffering from dementia (Tancredi et al., 2000; Vereker et al., 2000; Barrientos et al., 2006; Neri et al., 2006; Sparkman et al., 2006; Holmes et al., 2009; Nelson et al., 2011; Westin et al., 2012). The gene discussed is CCL2; the disease is dementia.