The Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Its Importance to Organism Survival and Development

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has been the subject of numerous studies regarding the functioning of the brain in relation to topics such as neural plasticity and neural survival. However, BDNF has also been implicated in the induction of changes not only in neural tissue but multiple other tissue types across the human body. The aim of this literature review is to provide a comprehensive, yet brief, overview of BDNF’s influence on the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and immune systems.