Due to its excellent brain permeability, its confirmed neuroprotective properties in models of cerebral ischemia and the fact that it activates ERK1/2 in neurons–a pathway that is activated by BDNF via the TrkB receptor–prompted Deogracias et al. (2012) to investigate the effects of fingolimod on BDNF levels and disease severity in MeCP2 knockout mice. Here, BDNF is linked to brain ischemia.