The PI3 kinase/Akt pathway mediates some of the activities of FGFs, although there is little evidence for its role in neural development in vivo downstream of FGFRs, our recent data indicated bFGF shows a neuronal protective effect in stroke rat model via the activation of both the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signals 29, 30. Here, FGF2 is linked to stroke disorder.