IL-2 AND IL-6 SECRETION IN DEMENTIA - CORRELATION WITH TYPE AND SEVERITY OF DISEASE

The production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by per ipheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) was assessed in patients with Al zheimer's disease (AD) who were subdivided into two groups - mild and moderately-severe - according to the severity of the disease, probable vascular dementia (VaD) patients and elderly control subjects. No dif ferences in IL-2 secretion were found between mild AD patients and con trols. However, there was a significant increase in IL-2 production bo th in the moderately-severe AD group and in the VaD group. IL-6 levels in AD patients of both groups were similar and significantly higher t han those of VaD and controls. Our results suggest that increased leve ls of IL-2-production correlate with severity of the dementia, whereas increased levels of IL-6 production seem to be related to AD and thus may play a role in AD pathogenesis.