Increased blood interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels are a replicated abnormality in schizophrenia, and may be associated with smaller hippocampal volumes and greater cognitive impairment. These findings have not been investigated in a population-based birth cohort. The general population Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 was followed until age 43. Subjects with schizophrenia were identified through the national Finnish Care Register. Blood IL-6 levels were measured in n = 82 subjects with schizophrenia and n = 5373 controls at age 31. Additionally, 31 patients with schizophrenia and 63 healthy controls underwent brain structural MRI at age 34, and cognitive testing at ages 34 and 43. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher median (interquartile range) blood IL-6 levels than controls (5.31, 0.85-17.20, versus 2.42, 0.54-9.36, p = 0.02) after controlling for potential confounding factors. In both schizophrenia and controls, higher blood IL-6 levels were predictors of smaller hippocampal volumes, but not cognitive performance at age 34. We found evidence for increased IL-6 levels in patients with midlife schizophrenia from a population-based birth cohort, and replicated associations between IL-6 levels and hippocampal volumes. Our results complement and extend the previous findings, providing additional evidence that IL-6 may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and associated brain alterations.

中文翻译：

---

精神分裂症的炎症、海马体积和认知：来自 1966 年北芬兰出生队列的结果。

血液白细胞介素 6 (IL-6) 水平升高是精神分裂症的重复异常，可能与海马体积较小和认知障碍加重有关。这些发现尚未在基于人群的出生队列中进行调查。对 1966 年芬兰北部出生队列的一般人群进行随访直至 43 岁。精神分裂症受试者通过芬兰国家护理登记册确定。在 n = 82 名精神分裂症患者和 n = 5373 名对照组中，在 31 岁时测量了血液 IL-6 水平。此外，31 名精神分裂症患者和 63 名健康对照组在 34 岁时接受了脑结构 MRI，并在 34 和 43 岁时接受了认知测试。精神分裂症患者的血液中 IL-6 水平中位数（四分位距）显着高于对照组（5.31、0.85-17.20，对比 2.42、0.54-9.36，p = 0。02) 在控制了潜在的混杂因素之后。在精神分裂症和对照组中，较高的血液 IL-6 水平是海马体积较小的预测因素，但不是 34 岁时认知能力的预测因素。我们从基于人口的出生队列中发现了中年精神分裂症患者 IL-6 水平升高的证据，复制了 IL-6 水平和海马体积之间的关联。我们的结果补充并扩展了先前的发现，提供了额外的证据，证明 IL-6 可能在精神分裂症的病理生理学和相关的大脑改变中发挥作用。我们从基于人群的出生队列中发现了中年精神分裂症患者 IL-6 水平升高的证据，并复制了 IL-6 水平与海马体积之间的关联。我们的结果补充并扩展了先前的发现，提供了额外的证据，证明 IL-6 可能在精神分裂症的病理生理学和相关的大脑改变中发挥作用。我们从基于人群的出生队列中发现了中年精神分裂症患者 IL-6 水平升高的证据，并复制了 IL-6 水平与海马体积之间的关联。我们的结果补充并扩展了先前的发现，提供了额外的证据，证明 IL-6 可能在精神分裂症的病理生理学和相关的大脑改变中发挥作用。