This website is meant to be a guide for the reader to the latest scientific information in the medical literature which discusses the role of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha, or simply TNF) in medicine. A particular emphasis is given to the role of TNF in two critical areas, where TNF is centrally involved: the pathogenesis (pathogenesis: the development of disease; more specifically the cellular events and reactions and other pathologic mechanisms occurring in the development of disease) of Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia; and in back pain and sciatica, and other forms of disc-related pain.
In this section, on the top left column of the webpage, are listed the various categories into which the website is divided. By clicking on each of these categories one may see the various dated posts which have been made which fall into this category. Some of the posts made fall into multiple categories, such as "TNF and dementia" and "Key articles"; many will fall into only one category.
When time permits, I will precede the article citation by a brief discussion. This discussion will be in italic type, to distinguish it from the citation itself.
The categories, with a brief explanation of each, are as follows:
1. A guide to this website.
Designed to be read first, this is an introduction and a guide to the website.
2. Author's recent articles.
This includes citations to the peer-reviewed, published articles written by the author of this website within the last few years.
3. Cerebrospinal venous system.
The cerebrospinal venous system plays a key role in the vascular circulation of the brain and the spine. Its importance has historically been underrecognized in general medicine, but it represents a key pathway between the brain and the spine. The CSVS is the subject of a review I wrote which published in the journal Medscape General Medicine in February 2006. link to PubMed abstract.
4. Key articles.
These are the articles which I believe are of highest relevance for this website, and includes links to the PubMed citations, which include the abstract and usually will include a link to the full-text article.
5. Links.
This section includes links to websites which I believe may be useful to the reader seeking further information regarding the role of TNF-alpha and anti-TNF-alpha therapeutics in medicine, or which are otherwise related to the information in this website.
6. Scientific articles citing author's articles.
These are generally peer-reviewed scientific articles or textbooks which have cited one or more of my published articles. By definition, my article has preceeded the citing article in publication date, usually by several years.
7. TNF and Alzheimer's/Dementia.
TNF plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia. This category includes an increasing number of scientific articles which provide scientific support for this concept. It now appears that TNF likely contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's in a variety of ways, not only by initiating and amplifying the inflammatory response, but also by interfering with synaptic transmission, and by its involvement in pathways involving amyloid, glutamate, AMPA and NMDA receptors. The articles in this category will not necessarily be discussed in date order, since I am going to attempt to go back into the literature and discuss previous articles of relevance as time permits.
8. TNF and Back Pain/Sciatica.
9. TNF and off-label use.
10. TNF in general medicine.
