title: Rate of cognitive decline in AD is accelerated by the interleukin-1 alpha -889 *1 allele.
abstract: The reason for differences in rate of cognitive decline in AD is unknown. The interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) -889 *2 allele is associated with increased risk for AD. Surprisingly, in a sample of 114 patients followed for an average of 3.8 years, individuals homozygous for the IL-1 alpha -889 *1 allele declined significantly more rapidly on the Mini-Mental State Examination than did others. There was no difference in rate of decline between patients with and without the APOE epsilon 4 allele. These results support the hypothesis that inflammation is important in the clinical course of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA. gmurphy@leland.stanford.edu
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Claassen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: DeVoss
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tinklenberg
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yesavage
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1