In agreement with this notion, Rieker et al. showed that the deletion of SRF-rendered dopaminergic neurons more vulnerable to MPTP-induced oxidative stress.33 In addition, Chang et al. showed that SRF is essential for the BDNF-induced neuroprotection of cortical neurons in response to trophic deprivation and DNA damage.7 Thus, the IRF4-SRF signalling pathway is neuroprotective in vivo, at least during stroke. This evidence concerns the gene BDNF and stroke disorder.