Cytokine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in male and female rats with heart failure at 10 wk postmyocardial infarction (post-MI). Values are means ± SE; n = 4–7 rats/group. Two-way ANOVA was performed for the sex and MI interaction followed by a Bonferroni post hoc test. In the PFC, MI × sex effect: IL-2, F = 4.7, P = 0.03; IL-10, F = 25.3, P = 0.0001; and TNF-α, F = 17.8, P = 0.001. MI effect: IL-6, F = 6.5, P = 0.02; and IL-1β, F = 4.6, P = 0.05. Sex effect: IL-1α, F = 5.6, P = 0.03; IL-6, F = 11.6, P = 0.003; and IL-10, F = 36.0, P = 0.001. In the PVN, MI effect: IL-1α, F = 17.7, P = 0.001; IL-1β, F = 10.7, P = 0.05; IL-2, F = 13.9, P = 0.002; IL-6, F = 13.1, P = 0.002; IL-10, F = 11.7, P = 0.003; and TNF-α, F = 14.3, P = 0.002. Sex effect: IL-1α, F = 4.1, P = 0.05; and IL-1β, F = 3.9, P = 0.05. *P < 0.05 vs. the male sham group; **P < 0.05 vs. the female sham group; ‡P < 0.0001 vs. the male sham group.