All cytokine concentrations in the extracted tissues were uniformly low except for an occasional modest level of TNF‐α.Regional analysis of cytokines showed higher concentrations of TNF‐α in the BG of people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV encephalitis (HIVE).Regional analysis of cytokines in cases with minimal HIVE showed a gradient of TNF‐α with the highest concentration in BG.A similar analysis in cases with severe HIVE showed a uniform elevation of TNF‐α in all three regions (cortical grey, cortical white, and deep grey matter). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and AIDS dementia complex.