BDNF and Stroke: In addition to anti-apoptotic actions on neurons and glial cells shown in hippocampal cell cultures exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation injury [45], during brain regeneration after HI injury in the developing mouse brain [6,27,46] and adult rodent stroke models [47], the oxygen-sensitive GH/IGF-1 system promotes synaptogenesis, dendritic growth, neurotrophic factor expression, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), IGF-1, EPO, and VEGF [27,48].