BDNF and Stroke: The circulating BDNF at the initial stage after stroke onset may reflect the extent of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory damage; (b) When the tissue damage is extensive, affecting the affecting the brain’s ability to produce BDNF, circulating decreased BDNF levels may reflect impaired neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity at a later stage of AIS (Calabrese et al., 2014).