This happened to my mom, too. And to a couple of people here at The Home. It’s really the first thing a doctor should consider when a person presents with a sudden onset of confused behavior. But it often isn’t.
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Our research shows UTIs can cause acute brain dysfunction through inflammation. An infection in the bladder releases inflammatory signals into the bloodstream, which can affect the brain and disrupt normal function, leading to delirium.Older adults are more vulnerable because their brains are often less resilient to physiological stress.
UTIs aren’t the only infections that can trigger this response. Any systemic infection, including pneumonia, gastrointestinal infections or skin infections, can provoke widespread inflammation that affects the brain and causes acute confusion.
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