title: Atorvastatin treatment is associated with increased BDNF level and improved functional recovery after atherothrombotic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Statins have a positive impact on ischemic stroke outcome. It has been reported that statin have neuroprotective function after ischemic stroke in addition to lipid-lowering effect in animal model. However, the neuroprotective function of statin after stroke has not been confirmed in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate in a clinical model if statins induce neuroprotection after stroke. We, therefore, assessed serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and functional recovery in atherothrombotic stroke patients and investigated their relationship with atorvastatin treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-eight patients with atherothrombotic stroke were enrolled and randomly assigned to atorvastatin treatment group or placebo control group. Neurological function after stroke was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI). The serum BDNF levels were both measured at 1 day and 6 weeks after stroke. Linear regression was used to assess the association between BDNF levels and neurological function scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRS and BI were markedly improved in the atorvastatin group when compared to placebo at 6 weeks after stroke. The serum BDNF levels in atorvastatin group were significantly elevated by 6 weeks after stroke and higher than the BDNF levels in controls. In addition, the serum BDNF levels significantly correlated with mRS and BI after stroke. Our results demonstrated that atorvastatin treatment was associated with the increased BDNF level and improved functional recovery after atherothrombotic stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that atorvastatin-related elevation in the BDNF level may promote functional recovery in stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , Anhui , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jingmiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , Anhui , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiali
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neurology , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Dane A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Breker
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , Anhui , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , Anhui , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zongliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei , Anhui , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yonglu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D000069059:Atorvastatin
keywords: BDNF; BI; NIHSS; atorvastatin; mRS; stroke