Correlation Between Irisin and Cognitive Functions in Alzheimer Dementia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Gerontology

Background:

• Irisin, a myokine associated with exercise, exhibits neuroprotective properties relevant to Alzheimer's disease (AD).
• The relationship between irisin and cognitive function in patients with dementia-related symptoms remains underexplored.
• Prior research has not investigated irisin in a biologically defined cohort with confirmed Alzheimer's disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between irisin levels and multidomain cognitive function in patients with dementia-related symptomatology.
• To explore irisin's potential as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease progression.

Main Methods:

• Enzyme-linked immunoassays were used to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum irisin levels.
• The study included patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, n=82), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n=44), and subjective memory complaint (SMC, n=20).
• Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and a battery of psychometric tests.

Main Results:

• CSF and serum irisin levels were significantly lower in AD and MCI patients compared to SMC individuals.
• Irisin levels in CSF strongly correlated with global cognitive efficiency and specific domains including memory, executive functions, attention, visuospatial abilities, and language.
• Serum irisin showed correlations with cognitive measures similar to those observed for CSF irisin.

Conclusions:

• Irisin plays a crucial role in multidomain cognitive function.
• Irisin demonstrates potential as a cognitive biomarker for tracking Alzheimer's disease progression.
• These findings underscore the link between exercise-induced myokines and neurodegenerative disease pathology.