Clinical analysis of the relationship between serum BDNF, IL-6, TNF-α levels and vascular cognitive impairment after acute cerebral infarction

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) in patients with acute cerebral infarction, and to provide some theoretical basis for early prevention of VCI. Methods One hundred and forty-two patients with acute infarction who were hospitalized in Department of Neurology of Xuzhou Central Hoapital from July 2016 to January 2017 were included in the research group, and 40 adults with no organic lesions were included in the control group. Serum levels of BDNF, IL-6, TNF-α were measured in acute phase (0-7 d), recovery period (16-30 d) and 3 months after cerebral infarction. Followed-up for 3 months, according to the mini-mental state examination and the Chinese version of the Monterey cognitive rating scale, 142 patients with acute cerebral infarction were divided into two groups: non-cognitive impairment group and cognitive impairment group; the difference of BDNF, IL-6 and TNF-α was compared between the two groups to evaluate the relationship between the content of BDNF, IL-6 and TNF-α with VCI. Results Compared with the control group, the levels of serum BDNF, IL-6 and TNF-α in the acute phase, recovery period and 3 months after acute cerebral infarction were higher than those in the control group; the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05). IL-6 of 3 months after acute cerebral infarction was higher than that in the control group and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After 3 months of observation, of the 142 patients with acute cerebral infarction, VCI occurred in 29 patients, 113 other patients had no VCI. BDNF of the non-cognitive impairment group in the acute phase, recovery phase, and 3 months of acute cerebral infarction were higher than that in the cognitive impairment group, especially in the recovery period, and the difference was statistically significant (t=2.405, P=0.017). IL-6 and TNF-α in the non-cognitive impairment group were lower than that in the cognitive impairment group in the acute phase, recovery period, and 3 months of acute cerebral infarction, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion BDNF, IL-6 and TNF-α are involved in the pathological process of VCI after cerebral infarction, and BDNF has a protective effect on VCI after cerebral infarction; IL-6, TNF-α may have negative effects on VCI after cerebral infarction. Key words: Cerebral infarction; Vascular cognitive impairment; Acute phase; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Interleukin-6; Tumor necrosis factor α