Markers of inflammation and cognitive decline in an African-Caribbean population

TY - JOUR

T1 - Markers of inflammation and cognitive decline in an African-Caribbean population

AU - Jordanova, V

AU - Stewart, R

AU - Davies, E

AU - Sherwood, R

AU - Prince, M

PY - 2007/10

Y1 - 2007/10

N2 - Background Inflammatory processes may play an important role in cognitive decline and dementia. We investigated the prospective association between levels of three markers of inflammation, plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and cognitive decline in an African-Caribbean community population. Methods Of 290 participants aged 55-75 years at baseline sampled from Primary Care registration lists in south London, 216 (75%) were re-interviewed after 3 years. Baseline plasma concentrations of IL-6, CRP and SAA were ascertained through immunoassays. A battery of psychometric tests was administered on both occasions and decline in both individual tests and a composite outcome was analysed. Results After adjustment for potential confounding factors, raised levels of IL-6 (>3.1 pg/ml) were associated with cognitive decline in the total sample (odds ratio 2.9, 95% Cl 1.1-7.5), but no associations were found for CRP or SAA. Raised IL-6 was most strongly associated with decline in orientation and immediate verbal recall tasks, with weaker associations for delayed recall and psychomotor speed. Conclusions Raised IL-6 but not CRP predicted cognitive decline in this population Inflammatory changes associated with cognitive decline may be specific to particular causal pathways. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

AB - Background Inflammatory processes may play an important role in cognitive decline and dementia. We investigated the prospective association between levels of three markers of inflammation, plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and cognitive decline in an African-Caribbean community population. Methods Of 290 participants aged 55-75 years at baseline sampled from Primary Care registration lists in south London, 216 (75%) were re-interviewed after 3 years. Baseline plasma concentrations of IL-6, CRP and SAA were ascertained through immunoassays. A battery of psychometric tests was administered on both occasions and decline in both individual tests and a composite outcome was analysed. Results After adjustment for potential confounding factors, raised levels of IL-6 (>3.1 pg/ml) were associated with cognitive decline in the total sample (odds ratio 2.9, 95% Cl 1.1-7.5), but no associations were found for CRP or SAA. Raised IL-6 was most strongly associated with decline in orientation and immediate verbal recall tasks, with weaker associations for delayed recall and psychomotor speed. Conclusions Raised IL-6 but not CRP predicted cognitive decline in this population Inflammatory changes associated with cognitive decline may be specific to particular causal pathways. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

U2 - 10.1002/gps.1772

DO - 10.1002/gps.1772

M3 - Article

SN - 1099-1166

VL - 22

SP - 966

EP - 973

JO - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

JF - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

IS - 10

ER -