The role of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and in terleukin 6 (IL-6) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is reviewed within the framework of "inflamm-aging", i.e., the characteristic chronic pro-inflammmatory status which develops in old age, and neuroinflammation, i.e., the peculiar inflammatory process which is present in the brain of AD patients. In particular, the data suggesting that several IL-1 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms can contribute to the risk of developing AD are reviewed. The possibility as well as the difficulty in identifying a pro-inflammmatory phenotype, and its importance for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of AD and other age-related pathologies are discussed. (C) 2001, Editrice Kurtis.