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Differences of peripheral inflammatory markers between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease
Bermejo P, Martín-Aragón S, Benedí J, Susín C, Felici E, Gil P, Ribera JM, Villar AM.. Immunology letters, 2008-03-07
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Multiple pathogenic factors may contribute to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Peripheral markers have been used to assess biochemical alterations associated with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) involved in its pathophysiology. The present study was conducted to evaluate inflammatory peripheral markers in elderly patients with MCI, patients with AD and normal elderly subjects. We measured plasma levels of different cytokines (IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-alpha) and platelet levels of cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) from 34 patients with MCI, 45 patients with AD and 28 age-matched control subjects. MCI and AD patients showed similarities in TNF-alpha and COX-2 levels, and differences in IL-6 and INF-alpha. Whereas augmented IL-6 levels have been found in AD patients, a significant increase in INF-alpha has been detected only in patients with MCI possibly associated with the depression stage frequently found in cognitive impairment. In conclusion, inflammatory response may be an early factor in AD development and these changes in circulating markers are possibly related to the progression of MCI to AD.
Key findings
- Peripheral markers have been used to assess biochemical alterations associated with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) involved in its pathophysiology.
- Whereas augmented IL-6 levels have been found in AD patients, a significant increase in INF-alpha has been detected only in patients with MCI possibly associated with the depression stage frequently found in cognitive impairment.
- In conclusion, inflammatory response may be an early factor in AD development and these changes in circulating markers are possibly related to the progression of MCI to AD.
Why it matters
In this small study of 34 MCI patients, 45 Alzheimer's patients, and 28 controls, inflammatory markers differed between groups, with higher IL-6 in Alzheimer's disease and higher IFN-alpha only in mild cognitive impairment. It reports blood marker differences and does not show that any treatment, cure, or prevention works.
Study details
- Participants34
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Immunology letters) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Immunology Letters: journal h-index 137 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 34 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 177 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.8 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ángel Villar: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid: institution h-index 656 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18367253) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Bermejo, P., Martín-Aragón, S., Benedí, J., Susín, C., Felici, E., Gil, P., et al. (2008). Differences of peripheral inflammatory markers between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Immunology letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imlet.2008.02.002
Vancouver
Bermejo P, Martín-Aragón S, Benedí J, Susín C, Felici E, Gil P, et al. Differences of peripheral inflammatory markers between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Immunology letters. 2008. doi:10.1016/j.imlet.2008.02.002. PMID: 18367253.
BibTeX
@article{bermejo2008-18367253,
author = {Bermejo, P. and Martín-Aragón, S. and Benedí, J. and Susín, C. and Felici, E. and Gil, P. and Ribera, J. M. and Villar, A. M.},
title = {{Differences of peripheral inflammatory markers between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Immunology letters},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1016/j.imlet.2008.02.002},
pmid = {18367253},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imlet.2008.02.002}
}
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