Advanced neuroprotection for brain ischemia: an alternative approach to minimize stroke damage

Despite decades of research on neuroprotectants in the fight against ischemic stroke, no successful results have been obtained and new alternative approaches are urgently needed. Translation of effective candidate drugs in experimental studies to patients has systematically failed. However, some of those treatments or neuroprotectant diets which demonstrated only beneficial effects if given before (but not after) ischemia induction and discarded for conventional neuroprotection, could be rescued in order to apply an 'advanced neuroprotection strategy' (ADNES). Herein, the authors discuss how re-profiling those neuroprotective candidate drugs and diets with the best potential, some of which are mentioned in this article as an ADNES, may be a good approach for developing successful treatments that protect the brain against ischemic damage. This novel approach would try to protect the brain of patients who are at high risk of suffering a stroke, before damage occurs, in order to minimize brain injury by having the neuroprotectant drug or diet 'on board' if unfortunately stroke occurs.