Aim To study the change of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)? interleukin-6 (IL-6)? interleukin-8 (IL-8) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods The level of TNF? IL-6? IL-8 in CSF in patients with cerebral infarction in the period<1 week and >4 week and in twenty heathy elderly persons as control were measured by ELISA respectively. Results The level of TNF? IL-6? IL-8 in CSF in patients with cerebral infarction was higher than normal control. The degree of raise about TNF? IL-8 in period<1 week was more significant than>4 week. The level of IL-6 had no relation with the stage of disease. And there was a positive correlation between the increasing degree of TNF? IL-8 and the degree of neurological deficits. Conclusion The measure of level of TNF? IL-8? IL-6 in CSF could be taken as index of prognosis of cerebral infarction.