Serum levels of IL-6 are associated with cognitive impairment in the salus in apulia population-based study

Chiara Griseta; Petronilla Battista; Fabio Castellana; Isabella Colonna; Sabrina Sciarra; Roberta Zupo; Ilaria Bortone; Luisa Lampignano; Sarah Tirelli; Giuseppe Bernardino; Anita Mollica; Madia Lozupone; Francesco Panza; Pietro Fiore; Brigida Minafra; Rodolfo Sardone

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13972

Serum levels of IL-6 are associated with cognitive impairment in the salus in apulia population-based study

Heliyon. 2023 Feb 22;9(3):e13972. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13972. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Chiara Griseta¹, Petronilla Battista¹, Fabio Castellana², Isabella Colonna³, Sabrina Sciarra², Roberta Zupo², Ilaria Bortone², Luisa Lampignano², Sarah Tirelli², Giuseppe Bernardino², Anita Mollica², Madia Lozupone², Francesco Panza², Pietro Fiore³, Brigida Minafra³, Rodolfo Sardone²

Affiliations

¹ Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Bari Institute, Italy.
² National Institute of Gastroenterology "Saverio de Bellis," Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy.
³ Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Bari Institute, Italy.

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that inflammation contributes to brain aging and neurodegeneration. This study investigates the relationship between global cognitive as well executive function and the inflammatory markers IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α in a population-based study of older adults. A population-based sample, of older people in Southern Italy, was enrolled. We measured serum levels of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α. We also administered two neuropsychological tests: Mini-Mental State Examination and Frontal Assessment Battery. Rank-based regression models were performed to investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers and cognitive functions, including major demographic and clinical confounders for adjustment. The sample consisted of 1929 subjects aged between 65 and 95 years. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that higher serum levels of IL-6 were associated with lower MMSE and FAB scores even after adjustment for demographic data and cardiovascular risk factors. No significant associations were found between cognitive functioning and serum levels of CRP and TNF-α. Our results suggest that higher levels of IL-6 were associated with cognitive impairment in an older adult population of Southern Italy.

Keywords: Aging; C-reactive protein; Chronic disease; Cognition; Inflammation; Rehabilitation; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha.