IL6 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: In addition, increases in serum inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been shown to exacerbate cognitive decline in older adults with metabolic syndrome, a condition defined by cooccurring obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia [2, 5].