Evidence suggests that in the ageing brain, the microglial macrophages may become chronically activated, leading to the prolonged production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-6; TNF-α) and proteins such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which are well-established predictors of cognitive decline (McGrattan et al., 2019; Lewis and Knight, 2021). This evidence concerns the gene CRP and Mental deterioration.