EPO and ischemia: The neuroprotective properties of EPO administration were further documented in a transient global spinal ischemia rabbit model (by occlusion of the abdominal aorta for 20 min), with animals receiving human recombinant erythropoietin (hR-EPO) exhibiting significantly improved neurological scores according to the criteria of Drummond and Moore (Drummond and Moore, 1989) and reduced motoneuron apoptosis when compared to the control group (Celik et al., 2002).