IRF7 and infection: Expression of brain Ifnl, Irf7, and Tnf mRNAs was upregulated over baseline control at 3 days post-infection (p.i.)only in young mice, but old mice expressed more Ifnl than young mice 7 days p.i. Gene arrays showed down-regulation of the Epigenetic Regulation, Insulin Signaling, and Neurons and Neurotransmission pathways in old mice 3 days p.i. while young mice demonstrated no change or induction of these pathways at the same time point.