BDNF and Stroke: Reactive astrocytes release numerous growth factors such as nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and other factors after stroke, which participate in brain tissue remodeling, peri-infarct angiogenesis and repair of the neurovascular units to improve the neurological functional outcomes after brain injury [24,41,42].