Researchers have discovered that the brain has an ability to shield itself from the destructive damage caused by a stroke. The brain has mechanisms that it can use to protect itself and keep brain cells alive. The Oxford University researchers hope that harnessing this inbuilt biological mechanism, identified in rats, could help in treating stroke and preventing other neurodegenerative diseases in the future. The research published in the journal Nature Medicine was funded by the UK Medical Research Council, The Dunhill Medical Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.