Improved cognitive performance has also been linked to several growth factors whose expression is related to physical exercise, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promotes neuronal growth and improves cognitive performance, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which stimulates angiogenesis and vasculogenesis and promotes tolerance to cerebral ischemia (41, 42). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is Cerebral ischemia.