Functional asymmetry of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 in focal epilepsy patients

Objective: In the development of epilepsy, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) play critical roles. We sought to understand the clinical significance of IL-1 and IL-6 by comparing the blood levels of individuals with left-lateralized focal epilepsy and those with right-lateralized focal epilepsy. Method: Sixty epilepsy patients aged 18–60 with lateralized seizures and 32 healthy controls were included. Clinical and demographic data of patients were collected. We compared the levels of IL-1 and IL-6 of the patients in the interictal period. Results: : Nineteen patients (31.7%) had seizures lateralized to the right hemisphere, while 41 (68.3%) were lateralized to the left hemisphere ( p < 0.001). Both IL-1 and IL-6 levels were lower in all patients than in controls ( p < 0.001). Both interleukin levels did not significantly differ between right and left-lateralized seizures ( p = 0.44). In the left-lateralized seizures, IL-1 levels correlated with epilepsy duration ( p = 0.006), onset age ( p = 0.050), and prenatal risk ( p = 0.028). Conclusion: Epilepsy patients had lower IL-1 and IL-6 levels than controls. In terms of these interleukins, there was no differentiation between left-lateralized seizures and right-lateralized. The number of patients with lateralized left hemispheres was higher than with the right hemispheres. IL-1 level was correlated with epilepsy duration, onset age, and prenatal risk in the left-lateralized seizures.