Neurons, such as the other cells, have death machinery: it consists of a set of genes, intracellular pathways, and enzymes, which stand ever ready to self-destruction. It is now possible to discriminate 11 pathways of cell death (1), some of which are tissue specific or occur in only one type of cell. However, seven types are observed in CNS. We will further simplify the situation and will focus our attention on the three major known categories of neuronal death: necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagic cell death (Table 1). This classification is mainly based on morphological features because in the majority of cases the molecular mechanisms are not well established. In addition, it is well known that neurons can pass from one to the other types of cell death. In other words, neurons all have virtually the same death machinery, but this may be used differently. The eventual death mode—necrosis, apoptosis, or autophagic cell death—depends on a number of parameters, including metabolic state and energy resources, availability of growth factors, cell maturity, stress stimuli, and many other factors.