Surprisingly, mRNAs encoding for several neurotrophic and growth factors including glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin (NRTN), mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and GDNF family receptor alpha 1 (GFRα1) were significantly upregulated in the lesioned striatum after stroke in the ad libitum rats but not in the fasted rats (Fig 2C). This evidence concerns the gene MANF and stroke disorder.