Dark chocolate 'can reduce risk of brain damage after stroke'

You can waive the debt, the next time you gorge on chocolate, and a new study that claims it can reduce the risk of brain injure from stroke. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered that a compound called epicatechin, which is usually found in dark chocolate, actually protects the brain against stroke by defensive neurons.

They based their conclusions on experiment in mice and hope that the effects can be simulated in humans.

In their testing, the researchers gave the mice a dose of epicatechin and then induced a stroke in rodents by cutting the blood supply to the animal's intelligence.

While most treatment for stroke in humans should be given in a 2:58-hour window to be effective, showed epicatechin limiting further neuronal spoil when given to mice 3.5 hours after a caress.

Since six hours after a stroke, but the compound offered no protection to brain cells.