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Role of interleukin‐6 in stress, sleep, and fatigue
Author(s) -
Rohleder Nicolas,
Aringer Martin,
Boentert Matthias
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06634.x
Subject(s) - proinflammatory cytokine , context (archaeology) , organism , inflammation , sleep (system call) , disease , interleukin , affect (linguistics) , peripheral , sleep quality , interleukin 6 , cytokine , psychological stress , chronic stress , psychology , immunology , medicine , neuroscience , biology , clinical psychology , cognition , communication , paleontology , computer science , operating system
Chronic low‐grade inflammation, in particular increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)‐6 in the circulation, is observed with increasing age, but it is also as a consequence of various medical and psychological conditions, as well as life‐style choices. Since molecules such as IL‐6 have pleiotropic effects, consequences are wide ranging. This short review summarizes the evidence showing how IL‐6 elevations in the context of inflammatory disease affect the organism, with a focus on sleep‐related symptoms and fatigue; and conversely, how alterations in sleep duration and quality stimulate increased concentrations of IL‐6 in the circulation. Research showing that acute as well as chronic psychological stress also increase concentrations of IL‐6 supports the notion of a close link between an organism's response to physiological and psychological perturbations. The findings summarized here further underscore the particular importance of IL‐6 as a messenger molecule that connects peripheral regulatory processes with the CNS.