cognition

mental health

NFKBIL1

The Gene That Increases Cognitive Processing Speed by Inhibiting Inflammation (NFKBIL1)

Written by Matt Carland, PhD on September 6th, 2019

Chronic inflammation contributes to many health problems throughout the body, and can even affect how quickly your brain processes information! In this post we’ll be taking a look at NFKBIL1, an immune system gene that can determine how sensitive your brain is to inflammation — and therefore how vulnerable you are to “brain fog” and other chronic cognitive issues. Read on to learn more about your NFKBIL1 genotype and how you can potentially improve it!

What Does The NFKBIL1 Gene Do?

The NFKBIL1 gene is a part of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a large network of genes that determine the overall function of the immune system [R].

This particular gene codes for NF-kappa-B inhibitor-like protein 1, a protein that suppresses the inflammatory response. It does this by imitating a compound called IkB, which counteracts inflammation by inhibiting a pro-inflammatory protein called NF-kB [R, R].

In other words, having higher levels of this gene helps keep inflammation down.

For example, carriers of low-activity genotypes for NFKBIL1 are at increased risk for disorders that involve excessive inflammation, such as arthritis and various cardiovascular diseases [R, R, R, R].

When it comes to the potential cognitive effects of low NFKBIL1 activity, these most likely stem from the brain’s high sensitivity to inflammation. This is probably why SNPs in this gene have also been associated with important cognitive functions, such as processing speed [R].

By extension, the brain inflammation that can result from not having enough of this gene could contribute to “brain fog” — a chronic cognitive issue that often leaves people feeling as if their brain has “slowed down” or become “sluggish” (among other potential symptoms, such as mood problems).

The NFKBIL1 gene creates a protein that suppresses inflammation. Not having enough of this protein can contribute to a variety of inflammation-related health issues, and increases your relative risk of experiencing cognitive disturbances such as “brain fog.”

Your NFKBIL1 Genotype

You can see your genotype for two important NFKBIL1 SNPs (rs2230365 and rs2255798) in the table below:

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs2230365
rs2255798

About 75-90% of the population carries the more common major alleles for each of these SNPs. However, when it comes to cognitive function, it’s better to carry the less common minor alleles (i.e. ‘T’ for rs2230365, and ‘C’ for rs2255798).

For example, a large-scale (GWAS) study of over 1,700 people found that people who carry the minor alleles for these SNPs show enhanced performance on several common tests of cognitive processing speed (such as the “symbol search” and “digit-substitution” tasks) [R].

Additionally, this study also linked the minor alleles to enhanced overall processing speed across an even larger number of cognitive skill tests, further reinforcing the connection between NFKBIL1 and the brain’s ability to process information quickly [R]!

Although this study did not directly test whether these alleles were linked with increased or decreased levels of NFKBIL1, given what we know about this gene and its role in the immune system, its effects on cognitive processing speed most likely stem from reduced NFKBIL1 gene activity. In other words, the minor alleles lead to increased production of the NFKBIL1 protein, which in turn makes people more resistant to inflammation (both in their brain and in general) [R, R, R].

Not only would this mean that carriers of the minor alleles have better overall (“baseline”) cognitive function, but it probably also reduces their risk of experiencing chronic inflammation-related cognitive issues, such as brain fog.

The minor alleles of rs2230365 and rs2255798 are associated with relatively enhanced cognitive processing speed — most likely because carriers of these alleles have higher levels of NFKBIL1, which gives them added protection against the negative effects of inflammation.

Recommendations

What You Can Do

One of the most effective ways to reduce inflammation is to use low-level laser therapy (LLLT). This involves shining a specially-designed set of lights on whatever part of the body you’re trying to treat: in this case, the head. This light passes through your skin and bones to stimulate many different mechanisms related to reducing inflammation, increasing blood flow, and enhancing other important systems that help keep your brain at its optimal health [R, R, R, R]!

LLLT is especially good at treating inflammation. For example, it can directly counteract your genotype by inhibiting NF-kB (the same pro-inflammatory compound that the NFBIL1 gene naturally targets) [R, R, R, R].

LLLT also decreases many other inflammatory markers, such as TNF-alpha, COX-2, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and several types of interleukins (such as IL-1 and IL-6) [R, R, R].

LLLT also has other major health benefits, such as increasing your production of BDNF and NGF [R, R], as well as reducing oxidative stress — one of the major underlying causes of chronic inflammation [R, R].

In other words, the many different inflammation-related targets of LLLT mean that it not only fights inflammation directly but can even help prevent it before it starts.

Altogether, these many effects may explain why LLLT has also been associated with significant cognitive benefits such as improved attention, learning, and memory [R, R]. It also has other psychological benefits, such as boosting your mood [R, R]!

The best way to counteract risk factors in the NFKBIL1 gene is to use LLLT, which directly targets many of the major inflammation-related factors that can lead to brain fog and other chronic cognitive issues.

Matt Carland

PhD

Matt received his PhD at the Université de Montréal in Neuroscience.

Matt holds multiple degrees in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. He has over a decade of experience in academic research and has published a number of articles in scholarly journals. He currently works as a neuropsychologist in Montreal, where he performs research on the links between personality traits and the development of clinical disorders such as addiction, compulsive gambling, and disordered eating.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More cognition blogs

Improve Cognitive Function with Oxytocin (OXTR) Increase Intelligence, Myelin & Neurogenesis (ULK4) Boost Your Intelligence by Increasing Myelination (ENPP6) Fight Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Brain Fog (PARP1) Give Your Cognitive Ability a Boost (COMT) How to Epigenetically Enhance Your Learning and Memory Abilities (KIBRA)

More mental health blogs

How to Be a Better Dater (HTR2A) How to Increase Your Chances of a Romantic Relationship (5HT1A) Are You Genetically Vulnerable to High Brain Histamine, Migraines, or ADHD? (HNMT) Protect Yourself Against Stress and Mood Problems with the Oxytocin (OXTR) Gene

Content

What Does The NFKBIL1 Gene Do? Your NFKBIL1 Genotype

Unlock Personalized Results And So Much More!

Shipping Worldwide

30-Days Money-Back Guarantee*

HSA/FSA Eligible

Essential Bundle

SelfDecode DNA Kit

24/7 AI Health Coach
1250+ Comprehensive DNA Health Reports
Personalized Diet, Supplement, & Lifestyle Recommendations
Lifestyle Risk Assessments
Unlimited access to Labs Analyzer

$418

$376

Men's Health Month 10% Off

Essential

Bundle

Everything in essential
SelfDecode DNA Kit
Methylation Pathway
+130 Medical Reports
25+ Longevity Screener Risk Assessments

Odds ratios to evaluate your risk for 25+ medical conditions
10-year risk scores to prioritize health conditions
Lifetime risk scores to plan for long-term health

$667

$566

Men's Health Month 15% Off

Men's Health Month 30% Off

Ultimate Bundle

Everything in essential+
SelfDecode DNA Kit
Medication Check (PGx testing) for 50+ medications
40+ Family Planning (Carrier Status) Reports
Ancestry Percentages
Mitochondrial Ancestry

$894

$625

* SelfDecode DNA kits are non-refundable. If you choose to cancel your plan within 30 days you will not be refunded the cost of the kit.

We will never share your data

We follow HIPAA and GDPR policies

We have World-Class Encryption & Security

People Love Us

Rated 4.7/5 from 750+ reviews

People Trust Us

200,000+ users, 2,000+ doctors & 80+ businesses

SelfDecode is a personalized health report service, which enables users to obtain detailed information and reports based on their genome. SelfDecode strongly encourages those who use our service to consult and work with an experienced healthcare provider as our services are not to replace the relationship with a licensed doctor or regular medical screenings.

Policies

About

Support
Our Team
Affiliate Program
Privacy
Media