Peripheral Inflammation and Executive Function among Community Samples Across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Immunology
• Public Health

Background:

• Peripheral inflammatory markers are hypothesized to impair cognitive processes.
• The specific impact of inflammation on executive functions remains under-systematic evaluation.
• Executive functions are crucial for goal-directed behavior and cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the association between peripheral inflammation and executive functions.
• To synthesize existing literature through a comprehensive meta-analysis.
• To investigate potential moderating factors such as age, adiposity, and sex.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies.
• Searched databases: Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO.
• Included 58 studies (41 in meta-analysis, N=255,539) assessing inflammation markers and executive function (self-report/behavioral).

Main Results:

• Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly associated with poorer executive functioning.
• The association remained consistent after controlling for confounding variables.
• Meta-regressions indicated no significant differences in the relationship based on age, adiposity, or percentage of females in the sample.

Conclusions:

• Higher peripheral inflammation is associated with diminished executive function performance in community individuals.
• Significant heterogeneity across studies highlights the need for standardized measurement of inflammation and executive function.
• Future research should address methodological variations to refine understanding of this relationship.