In ischemic stroke, GDF11 treatment improved functional outcome and stimulated neurogenesis and angiogenesis in rats and mice [16, 17] by upregulating the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), angiopoietin-2 and vascular endothelial factor receptor-2 however; these studies were only conducted in young animals. The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is ischemic stroke.