BDNF and metabolic syndrome: Increased BDNF expression was found in atherosclerotic coronary arteries in humans (Ejiri et al. 2005), and decreased plasma BDNF level was observed in patients with metabolic syndrome (Chaldakov et al. 2004), acute coronary syndrome (Lorgis et al. 2010; Manni et al. 2005) and in type 2 diabetes mellitus (Krabbe et al. 2007).