202-872-6042 in Washington Sept. 6-11, 2003, in New York
212-542-1703 or 212-333-6356 American Chemical Society The
findings suggest that cranberries can aid recovery from stroke,
particularly in its earliest stages, in which the most severe
damage occurs, the researchers say. Their study, which they
claim is the first to demonstrate a link between cranberries and
protection from stroke, was described today at the 226th
national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's
largest scientific society. "This study shows that cranberries
have the potential to protect against brain cell damage that
occurs during a stroke event," says Catherine Neto, Ph.D., an
assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
and a lead investigator in the study. "It may not stop a stroke
from occurring initially, but it may reduce the severity of
stroke," she says. Neurons from the brains of several rats were
collected for this study. After placing the neurons in tissue
culture, millions of cells were grow