BDNF and hereditary elliptocytosis: Because the promotion of the function and growth of 5-HT-ergic neurons by BDNF (Mamounas et al., 1995; Altar, 1999), as well as changes in BDNF function in affective disorders (Licinio and Wong, 2002) have been described, we also measured the levels of BDNF expression in these brain regions in LE- and HE-rats.