Treatment with MK801, BAPTA, auranofin and TrxR1 AS-ODNs exerted a neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia–reperfusion over the same time course (Fig. 7, panels k, l; o, p; q, r; w, x), whilst a saline control, DMSO control, TE control and MS-ODNs did not show such protective effects (Fig. 7, panels e, f; panels m, n; panels s, t; panels u, v). This evidence concerns the gene TXNRD1 and brain ischemia.