IL6 and brain ischemia: Consistent with the finding of neurological outcome, old mice had higher IL-17 and IL-6 concentrations in their blood after brain ischemia and reperfusion [age was a factor to influence the effects of brain ischemia on IL-17 and IL-6 concentration: F(1,28) = 4.673, P = 0.039, for IL-17; F(1,28) = 4.559, P = 0.042, for IL-6], although there was no difference in these cytokines at baseline between young and old mice (Fig. 2E–G).