Transcription of Tnf, Il1b, Il6, and Vcam1 all remained elevated, and Tjp1 and Cldn5 remained decreased, for 21 days following initiation of DSS treatment (beyond the point at which plasma cytokine concentrations had returned to baseline), further indicating that acute colitis induces a sustained neuroinflammatory response. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and colitis.