The Impact of Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Systemic Interleukin-6 Release, Cerebral Nuclear Factor-kappa B Expression, and Neurocognitive Outcome in Rats

Abstract

Pronounced systemic inflammatory responses to experimental CPB associated with increased hippocampal expression of NF-kappaB were not accompanied by neurocognitive impairment. This suggests that other factors beyond CPB and inflammatory responses might contribute to adverse neurocognitive outcomes after cardiac surgery.