This technology utilizes bridged bicyclic compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms as neuroprotective agents. The compounds have been benchmarked against resveratrol and have shown neuroprotective properties relative to it. One of the compounds provided extended time to synaptic failure by approximately 100 minutes. Additionally, another tested compound allowed the synapse under study to maintain 80% of its normal function even under declining oxidative conditions. Initial studies show these compounds are capable of restoring synaptic function after oxidative stress.