TNF and supranuclear palsy, progressive, 1: Abnormal inflammation in the central nervous system, with activated microglia and massive astrogliosis with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor – TNF-α, interleukins), has been found in the CSF in PD; these proinflammatory compounds may promote apoptosis and neuronal death (Hirsch et al., 2003, 2012) and have been suspected to contribute to the development of PD (Czlonkowska et al., 2002) and PSP (Litvan, 2003).