7,8-Dihydroxyflavone binds to the extracellular domain of tyrosine kinase receptor B (Kd = 320 nM) and activate the receptor activity. It inhibits glutamate-triggered apoptosis in hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo. Administration of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone to mice activated TrkB in the brain, inhibited kainic acid-induced toxicity, decreased infarct volumes in stroke in a TrkB-dependent manner, and was neuroprotective in an animal model of Parkinson disease. It also reverses memory deficits and BACE1 elevation in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease.