Cited by 348Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsTryptophan and brain disordersStress Responses and Cortisol

Interleukin-6 Covaries Inversely with Hippocampal Grey Matter Volume in Middle-Aged Adults

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Marsland, Anna L., Gianaros, Peter J., Abramowitch, Sarah M., Manuck, Stephen B., Hariri, Ahmad R.·2008·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Converging animal findings suggest that higher peripheral levels of inflammation are associated with activation of central inflammatory mechanisms that result in hippocampal neurodegeneration and related impairment of memory function. We have recently shown, consistent with animal findings, an inverse association between peripheral levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a relatively stable marker of systemic inflammation, and memory function in mid-life adults. In the current study, we extend this work to test whether systemic inflammation is associated with reduced grey matter volume of the hippocampus.Methods For this purpose, we used a computational structural neuroimaging method (optimized voxel-based morphometry) to evaluate the relationship between plasma IL-6 levels and hippocampal grey matter volume in a sample of 76 relatively healthy community volunteers ages 30-54.Results Peripheral levels of IL-6 covaried inversely with hippocampal grey matter volume, and this relationship persisted after accounting for several possible confounders, including age, gender, race, years of education, percent body fat, blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, hours of sleep, alcohol use, and total grey matter volume.Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of a relationship between a peripheral marker of IL-6 and hippocampal grey matter volume, raising the possibility that low-grade systemic inflammation could plausibly presage subclinical cognitive decline in part via structural neural pathways.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.04.016

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  • Several high-quality studies found no relationship between self-reported and objective short sleep duration and markers of inflammation.

    “Several high-quality studies have found no relationship between self-reported and objective (ie, polysomnographic) short sleep duration and markers of inflammation (Larkin et al, 2005;Taheri et al, 2007;Marsland et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2009;Rief et al, 2010;Ramey et al, 2012)”

    From Sleep health: Reciprocal regulation of sleep and innate immunity (2017) · cites this paper as Marsland et al, 2008

  • Inflammatory processes in the body are associated with reductions in volume of the hippocampus and poor sleep.

    “Accumulating evidence also indicates that inflammatory processes in the body are associated with reductions in volume of a key brain structure, the hippocampus 55 as well as poor sleep 56”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [36]First MB, Spitzer RL, Gibbon M, Williams JBW. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, research version, non-patient edition. New York: New York State Psychiatric Institute, Biometrics Research Department; 1996. [Google Scholar]
  2. [38]Wechsler D. The WMS-III administration and scoring manual. Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation; 1997. [Google Scholar]

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Authors
Marsland, A. L., Gianaros, P. J., Abramowitch, S. M., Manuck, S. B., & Hariri, A. R.
Affiliations
University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author
Marsland, Anna L.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2008-09
Volume
64
Issue
6
Pages
484-490
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2010397126
Cited by
348
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 16
FWCI
8.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Heart and Lung Institute
  • National Institute of Mental Health
  • National Institute of Nursing Research
  • Australian Rotary Health
  • John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
interleukin-6, systemic inflammation, hippocampal neurodegeneration, memory function, middle-aged adults, plasma biomarkers, neuroinflammation
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Adult, Cognition Disorders, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Hypertension, Inflammation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Nerve Net, Registries, Severity of Illness Index, Wechsler Scales, Interleukin-6, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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