Abstract: Necroptosis is a newly discovered form of programmed cell death, which is activated by the binding of death receptors and their ligands and executed through specific path ways. At present, this form of cell death has been proved to be involved in a variety of diseases,such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, traumatic brain injury and brain ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Key words: necroptosis, central nervous system, programmed death, cerebral injury, spinal cord injury, repair, review