The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing ischemia-related (i.e., neural cell hypoxia and/or hypoglycemic) conditions by administering to a patient in need thereof certain thiosemicarbazone compounds. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of preventing or treating certain ischemia-related conditions, which may include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic states that are due to or result from such conditions as: coronary artery bypass graft surgery; global cerebral ischemia due to cardiac arrest; focal cerebral infarction; cerebral hemorrhage; hemorrhage infarction; hypertensive hemorrhage; hemorrhage due to rupture of intracranial vascular abnormalities; subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of intracranial arterial aneurysms; hypertensive encephalopathy; carotid stenosis or occlusion leading to cerebral ischemia; cardiogenic thromboembolism; spinal stroke and spinal cord injury; diseases of cerebral blood vessels, e.g., atherosclerosis, vasculitis; macular degeneration; myocardial infarction; cardiac ischemia; and superaventicular tachyarrhytmia.