Stroke induced a 61% increase of p-CREB expressions in the combined CD11b+/CD45+ microglia/macrophage populations in the WT IL compared to their non-stroke CL hemispheres, and a 2.07-fold increase of BDNF expressions via intracellular staining within these microglia/macrophages post-stroke (Additional file 1: Figure S4c). The gene discussed is ITGAM; the disease is stroke disorder.