Our data showed central inflammation as reflected by the amounts of TNF-α and IL-1β with the most prominent increase in brain parenchyma in the combined setting, and similar regulations of TNF-α, IL-1β, and CRP expression have been observed in plasma in carotid injured rats on HCD, as previously suggested that this inflammatory microenvironment might be partially induced by hypercholesterolemia (Drake et al., 2011). Here, TNF is linked to familial hypercholesterolemia.