The Association of Blood IL-6, TNF-α, and IGF-1With Domains of Cognitive Impairment
10.47825/jkgp.2025.29.1.9
- Author:
Ka Hee YOO
1
;
Kyung Hoon SON
;
Jae Hyun HAN
;
Joo Yun SONG
;
Kee Jeong PARK
;
Young Tak JO
;
Jae Yeon HWANG
;
Su Jeong SEONG
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Geriatric Psychiatry
2025;29(1):9-17
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objective:Neuroinflammation is suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between blood levels of biomarkers and cognitive impairment.
Methods:We measured the blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in a sample of community-residing elderly Koreans (n=37). To evaluate cognitive function, we used the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We analyzed the association between biomarker levels and the total score, as well as the scores for each domain of the MMSE.
Results:We excluded the scores in the three-word registration and naming domains of the MMSE from the analysis, because all participants received perfect scores. The results of simple regression analysis revealed that there is a statistically significant association between higher levels of IL-6 and decreased scores in the repetition domain of the MMSE. However, we found no significant association between TNF-α and IGF-1 levels and the scores of cognitive function tests.
Conclusion:Our results indicate a potential role of inflammatory cytokines in certain cognitive functions, which requires further exploration.
