TNF and dementia: For comparison with our ASC speck measurements, we also measured the concentration of a panel of cytokines (IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in our cohort of 20 AD with moderate dementia and 10 HC serum samples (see the Methods section for details).