Inflammation plays an essential role in the injury processes following cerebral ischemic brain injury and traumatic spinal cord injury. We have examined pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin beta-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha as well as their mRNA, in the brain and spinal cord following injury. Findings from these studies show that these cytokines and their mRNA increase rapidly and last for several days. Currently, we are also studying whether glial reaction involves in the neuronal death in the brain and spinal cord following injury induction.
Signals of TNF and IL-1