title: Intravenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances poststroke sensorimotor recovery and stimulates neurogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The discovery of spontaneous neuronal replacement in the adult brain has shifted experimental stroke therapies toward a combined approach of preventing neuronal cell death and inducing neuronal plasticity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was shown to induce antiapoptotic mechanisms after stroke and to reduce infarct size and secondary neuronal cell death. Moreover, in intact animals, BDNF is a potent stimulator of adult neurogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study analyzed the effects of BDNF on induction of neuronal progenitor cell migration and sensorimotor recovery after cortical photothrombotic stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Daily intravenous bolus applications of BDNF during the first 5 days after stroke resulted in significantly improved sensorimotor scores up to 6 weeks. At the structural level, BDNF significantly increased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and enhanced migration of subventricular zone progenitor cells to the nearby striatum of the ischemic hemisphere. BDNF treatment could not, however, further stimulate progenitor cell recruitment to the cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings consolidate the role of BDNF as a modulator of neurogenesis in the brain and as an enhancer of long-term functional neurological outcome after cerebral ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Münster, Germany. schabitz@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Wolf-Rüdiger
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Schäbitz
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steigleder
authors.forename: Christiana M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cooper-Kuhn
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: H Georg
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor