PI3K/Akt/CREB activator 1 (compound AE-18) is a potent, orally active PI3K/Akt/CREB activator. PI3K/Akt/CREB activator 1 promotes neuronal proliferation, induced differentiation of Neuro-2a cells into a neuron-like morphology, and accelerated the establishment of axon-dendrite polarization of primary hippocampal neurons through upregulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor via the PI3K/Akt/CREB pathway. PI3K/Akt/CREB activator 1 can be used in research of vascular dementia (VaD).