Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor as a Treatment Modality: The Future of Clinical Neurosciences

Abstract

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is one of the Neurotrophic factors responsible for the survival, growth, differentiation and maturation of neurons. BDNF has been reported to have multiple physiological functions including synaptic transmission, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and has a major role in regulation of pain, learning and memory, endothelial and cardiac cells, lipid metabolism and even immunity and inflammation. Besides physiological role, BDNF also has been associated with multiple neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders including, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Anxiety-related disorders, and Epilepsy. Role of BDNF has also been studied in Diabetes, Metabolic disorders, Deafness and Blindness. A lot of factors have therefore also been studied to validate their properties to enhance levels of BDNF in different tissues, especially brain. This review is aimed to comprehensively collect all the medical literature in support of BDNF’s physiological and pathological role and also to compile evidence in support of different factors that have been reported to increase BDNF levels, thus paving for an expanded view of BDNF as a treatment modality and maybe even the future of Clinical Neurosciences.

Keywords

• bdnf role
• metabolic disorders
• neurodegenerative disorders
• neuropsychiatric disorders