TNF and delirium: This condition seems to be caused by the release of psychoactive inflammatory markers during surgery, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta, that contribute to delirium through dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), or cholinergic-mediated pathways.