Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the role of overexpressed proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of cerebral palsy (CP).MethodsLevels of tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum of 31 CP children, 20 healthy children (as controls), 37 neonates with CP risk factors such as hypoxic-ischemic injury and/or perinatal infection, and 20 healthy neonates (as controls) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) retrospectively.ResultsLevels of TNF-α and IL-6 of CP children and neonates with CP risk factors were significantly higher than that of healthy controls (P<0.05). TNF-α level of CP children was significantly higher than that of neonates with CP risk factors (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in IL-6 level between two groups.ConclusionOverexpressed proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of CP and may be an independent risk factor of CP.

Key words: cerebral palsy (CP), proinflammatory cytokines, immune-neuroendocrine network, tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6)