Infectious disease and cognition in wild populations

Infectious disease is linked to impaired cognition across a breadth of host taxa and cognitive abilities, potentially contributing to variation in cognitive performance within and among populations. Impaired cognitive performance can stem from direct damage by the parasite, the host immune response, or lost opportunities for learning. Moreover, cognitive impairment could be compounded by factors that simultaneously increase infection risk and impair cognition directly, such as stress and malnutrition. As highlighted in this review, however, answers to fundamental questions remain unresolved, including the frequency, duration, and fitness consequences of infection-linked cognitive impairment in wild animal populations, the cognitive abilities most likely to be affected, and the potential for adaptive evolution of cognition in response to accelerating emergence of infectious disease.

Automated summary

Infectious diseases are associated with impaired cognition in a variety of host species and cognitive abilities, leading to variation in cognitive performance within and among populations. This impairment can result from direct damage by the parasite, host immune response, or lost opportunities for learning. Additionally, factors such as stress and malnutrition that increase infection risk and impair cognition further compound cognitive impairment. However, essential questions about the frequency, duration, and fitness consequences of infection-linked cognitive impairment in wild animal populations, the specific cognitive abilities most affected, and the potential for adaptive evolution of cognition in response to the emergence of infectious diseases remain unresolved.