TNFα upregulates NGF in IVD cells, and nociceptive nerves, usually restricted to the outer AF in normal healthy IVDs, can be stimulated with NGF to grow into the inner AF and NP as was found in the painful human IVDs.23, 41, 83, 84 In this model, anti‐TNFα may have worked in several different ways: mitigating intradiscal inflammation, thereby preventing innervated nerve stimulation, decreasing the inflammatory environment of adjacent nerve roots, or inhibiting neovascular innervation. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is atrial fibrillation.