title: The neuroprotective roles of BDNF in hypoxic ischemic brain injury.
abstract: Hypoxia-ischemia (H/I) brain injury results in various degrees of damage to the body, and the immature brain is particularly fragile to oxygen deprivation. Hypothermia and erythropoietin (EPO) have long been known to be neuroprotective in ischemic brain injury. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has recently been recognized as a potent modulator capable of regulating a wide repertoire of neuronal functions. This review was based on studies concerning the involvement of BDNF in the protection of H/I brain injury following a search in PubMed between 1995 and December, 2011. We initially examined the background of BDNF, and then focused on its neuroprotective mechanisms against ischemic brain injury, including its involvement in promoting neural regeneration/cognition/memory rehabilitation, angiogenesis within ischemic penumbra and the inhibition of the inflammatory process, neurotoxicity, epilepsy and apoptosis. We also provided a literature overview of experimental studies, discussing the safety and the potential clinical application of BDNF as a neuroprotective agent in the ischemic brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China ;
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China ;
authors.forename: Li-Jing
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Obstetric and Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China ; ; Laboratory of Early Developmental and Injuries, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China ;
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China ;
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mao
keywords: brain injury; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; hypoxic; ischemia