Purpose of the study: To evaluate xpression level of BDNF and its relationship with  neuronal death in the postresuscitation period.
Materials and methods: Cardiac arrest in adult albino male rats was evoked by intrathoracic clamping of supracardiac bundle of vessels for 10 min. Pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus and Purkinje cells of the cerebellum were analysed. Expression of BDNF protein was immunohistochemically determined. Its intensity was estimated from the mean optical density. A number of neurons with different expression level of BDNF as well as a total number of neurons were evaluated post-resuscitation.
Results: It was shown that in the postoperative period the level of BDNF expression within both neuronal populations decreases, that was accompanied by the death of neurons. In the Purkinje cell population the shifts in the expression level of BDNF and the neuronal death occur on the 4th day after resuscitation. In the hippocampus these changes developed later - only by the 7th day. In both neuronal populations at the stage of neuronal loss only number of BDNF-negative cells and neurons with low content of BDNF were reduced. Therefore these neurons were subjected to death. This causes the necessity of activation of endogenous expression of the protein for prevention of neuronal death after ischemia-reperfusion. Earlier we have shown this opportunity by application of nerve growth factor mimetic GК2 (1, 2). GК2 initiated the expression of BDNF in cells, which have not produced this protein formerly, and the number of BDNF-positive neurons increased. This has contributed to the prevention of neuronal death post-resuscitation and acceleration of neurological recovery of resuscitated rats undergoing cardiac arrest.
Conclusion: There are relationship between BDNF expression shifts and the neuronal death post-resuscitation. The capability for BDNF expression is an important factor that enhances neuronal resistance to death in the postresuscitation period.

ASSOCIATION OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF) PROTEIN EXPRESSION WITH THE NEURONAL DEATH IN THE POSTRESUSCITATION PERIOD