title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor does not improve recovery after cardiac arrest in rats.
abstract: Increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) signaling are associated with reduced brain injury after cerebral ischemia. In particular, mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest increases BDNF and ERK signaling. This study tested whether intracerebroventricular infusions (0.025 microg/h x 3 days) of BDNF also improved recovery of rats resuscitated from cardiac arrest and maintained at 37 degrees C. BDNF infusions initiated at the time of cardiac arrest did not alter survival, neurological recovery, or histological injury. Separate experiments confirmed that BDNF infusions increased tissue levels of BDNF. However, these infusions did not increase ERK activation in hippocampus. These data suggest that increased BDNF levels are not sufficient to explain the beneficial effects of mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest, and that exogenous BDNF administration does not increase extracellular ERK signaling.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. callawaycw@upmc.edu
authors: Clifton W
authors: CW
authors: Callaway
authors: Ramiro
authors: R
authors: Ramos
authors: Eric S
authors: ES
authors: Logue
authors: Amy E
authors: AE
authors: Betz
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Wheeler
authors: Melissa J
authors: MJ
authors: Repine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases