IL-6 deficiency alters spatial memory in 4- and 24-month-old mice

Attenuation of learning ability in young adult IL-6-deficient mice assessed in MWM suggests that physiological level of IL-6 is involved in mechanisms engaged in proper memory formation, and it may also indicate on the importance of IL-6 signaling in brain development. Maintained on similar level in both 4- and 24-month-old IL-6 KO mice learning ability and its attenuation in 24-month-old vs 4-month-old WT mice indicates on slower age-related memory decline in mice not expressing IL-6. Better performance of IL-6 KO mice in the probe trial points to their reference memory improvement and may also indicate that IL-6 plays a role in mechanism responsible for cognitive flexibility.