**6.1 Effects of ginger and its compounds on stroke**

Stroke incidence rates and bad outcomes both rise with age, indicating that more than 80% of strokes occur in those over the age of 65 [66]. After a stroke, brain damage is more severe in the elderly, and endogenous synthesis of antioxidant enzymes and neurotropic factors is lacking [67]. The loss of ovarian hormones with age, as well as the functional decline of brain supporting cells including astrocytes and endothelial cells, contribute to the severity of stroke outcomes in the aging brain [68]. Two separate studies looked into the pharmacological potential of ginger and found that it can help with memory loss and brain infarction caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) [29, 69].
