To examine the relationship between gait speed and prior 10 years interleukin-6 (IL-6) burden in older adults. We then assessed whether white matter characteristics influence this relationship.
In 179 community-dwelling older adults, gait speed was assessed on an automated walkway and serum IL-6 was assayed on ELISA. Concurrently, white matter characteristics were assessed on MRI by quantifying volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a marker of small vessel disease, and normal-appearing white matter on fractional anisotropy (NAWM-FA), a marker of axonal integrity. IL-6 was assayed at regular intervals at gait assessment and over the prior 10 years and estimates of sustained 10-year IL-6 exposure and the rate of change in IL-6 over 10 years were obtained. Multivariate linear regressions were used to examine the relationships among sustained IL-6 exposure, rate of change in IL-6, gait speed, and white matter characteristics.
In this sample (age 83 years, 58% female, 41% black, gait speed 0.9 m/s), higher sustained IL-6 levels, but not the rate of change in IL-6 or IL-6 at gait assessment, was significantly related to slower gait (β = −0.27, p < 0.001) and to higher WMH (β = 0.23, p = 0.002), but not NAWM-FA, withstanding covariate adjustments. WMH accounted for 30% attenuation in the relationship between higher sustained IL-6 levels and slower gait speed ( p = 0.043) in the mediation analyses.
1. speaker, (Workshop on Aging in the Neuro- Musculoskeletal System) Aix-Marseille University payment for travel and hotel 2. speaker (MouseAge meeting)Mayo Clinic School of Medicine travel and hotel
Journal of Gerontology Medical Sciences Associate Editor no compensation Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging Editorial Board no compensation Journal of the American Geriatric Society Editorial Board no compensation
-DSMB for Takeda, Inc -DSMB for DIAN - Alzheimer's Association Medical & Scientific Advisory Council - DZNE Senate Member
-Associate Editor, 2011-, International Review of Psychiatry -Associate Editor 2012-, Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences -Editorial Board Member 2014-, Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer?s Disease
NIH, NIA, NIDDK, NHLBI, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Doris Duke Chariatable Foundation, Department of Defense, VA
Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, Editorial Board Member, 2005-present Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, Guest Co- Editor, 2013-2014 Current Alzheimer Research, Guest Co-Editor, 2014-present
NIA/NINDS, 1 U13 AG041613-01, Co-PI, 2012-2015 NIA, 1R01AG037451-01A1, PI, 2011-2016 NIDDK,R01 DK089028-01, PI, 2010-2014 NIA, P30 AG024827-06, PI, 2015-2019 NIA,1R01AG044474-01A1, PI, 2014-2018
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