Infections can trigger a particularly strong immune reaction of the body (termed sepsis). In such a sepsis the immune system reacts so strongly that not only the pathogens but also tissues and organs are damaged. In a study with mice, researchers from the Technische Universität Braunschweig were able to show that sepsis can have long-term effects on the brain and learning behaviour even after recovery from the sepsis itself. Inhibition of the protein complex NLRP3 could prevent these negative effects. The study has now been published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Universität Bonn were also involved in the study.