Neurodegeneration after cerebral ischemia can be explained by the apoptosis-necrosis cell death continuum.
Previous studies have suggested that DND in hippocampus is apoptosis. This idea was based originally on the finding that systemic treatment with protein synthesis inhibitors protected against CAI neuron loss after global ischemia (148,159), although protein synthesis inhibitors cause hypothermia, which is neuroprotective. However, other studies did not confirm that protein and RNA synthesis inhibitors ameliorate postischemic DND in CAI and structural analysis argued against this neurodegeneration as PCD (156). More recent studies have reasserted that DND of CAI pyramidal neurons in rodents after ischemia is apoptosis (153-155,160).