Preischemic hyperglycemia or superimposed hypercapnia exaggerates brain damage caused by transient forebrain ischemia. Because high regional levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein correlate with resistance to ischemic damage, we studied the expression of BDNF mRNA using in situ hybridization in rats subjected to 10 minutes of forebrain ischemia under normoglycemic, hyperglycemic, or hypercapnic conditions. Compared with normoglycemic animals, the increase of BDNF mRNA using in situ hybridization in rats subjected to 10 minutes of forebrain ischemia under normoglycemic, or hypercapnic conditions. Compared with normoglycemic animals, the increase of BDNF mRNA in dentate granule cells was attenuated and that in CA3 pyramidal neurons completely prevented in hyperglycemic rats. No ischemia-induced increases of BDNF mRNA levels in the hippocampal formation were detected in hypercapnic animals. Hyperglycemic and hypercapnic rats showed transiently decreased expression of BDNF mRNA levels in the cingulate cortex, which was not observed in normoglycemic animals. The results suggest that suppression of the BDNF gene might contribute to the increased vulnerability of the CA3 region and cingulate cortex in hyperglycemic and hypercapnic animals.