Circulating tumor necrosis factor-α alters cerebral blood flow and microvascular ultrastructure through nitric oxide release in the rat brain

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor- (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine can play a prominent role in CNS injury putatively in part through cerebrovascular dysfunction. The aim of our study was to demonstrate how cerebral blood flow and microvascular morphology are affected by circulating TNF-.