BDNF and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, familial, 4: It also stimulates neurogenesis via an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus– an area highly sensitive to reductions in blood flow and the effects of aging– improves age-related growth hormone deficiencies, enhances angiogenesis, and reverses age-related reductions in vascular density and cerebral blood flow [6].