For instance, deletion of the Parp1 gene or pharmacological inhibition of PARP enzymatic activity significantly reduces neuronal cell death and infarct size in animal (Eliasson et al. 1997; Endres et al. 1997) and cell culture (Mandir et al. 2000; Ullrich et al. 2001) models of cerebral ischemia. The gene discussed is PARP1; the disease is brain ischemia.