The invention relates to the use of 
agmatine, in the treatment of acute neurotrauma (such as 
stroke) and degenerative disorders of the central and 
peripheral nervous system (such as 
dementia). The invention further provides novel compounds of general formula I (which are 
quinuclidine derivatives), formula II (which are 
norbornane derivatives), formula III (which are 
adamantane derivatives), and formula IV (which are 
phenothiazine derivatives): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently 
hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 
alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 alkoxy, halogeno, amino, phenyl, or R4NR5; R4 and R5 are each independently 
hydrogen, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NH-NHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-(NR7=)CNHR6, or (CH2)n-[NH(CH2)x]y-NH(NR7=)CNHR6 wherein n is from 0-5, y is from 0-5 and each x is independently from 1-5; R6, and R7 are each independently 
hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 
alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 alkoxy, or halogeno; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and 
optically active isomers thereof.