Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is harmful and has a high incidence, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, it is important to clarify its pathological mechanism and develop effective prevention and treatment measures. Brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an essential role in neuronal survival, differentiation, neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. BDNF and its precursors bind to the receptors on the nerve cell membrane and activate signal pathways to induce synaptic morphology and function changes, which result in profound impact on learning, memory and cognition. At present, this topic has been extensively studied within the field of neuroscience. This article briefly introduces the family of neurotrophic factors and BDNF, and summarizes the effects of BDNF on PND through regulating synaptic plasticity, mediating neurogenesis, and participating in the regulation of neuroinflammation, so as to enlighten the pathogenesis and prevention of PND in the future.