Cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α have been reported as potent inducers of neuronal injury in several neurodegenerative diseases such as cerebral ischemia, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and viral infections including HIV-associated dementia (HID), JE and influenza [14,16,18,19]. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is brain ischemia.