[Nitric oxide: implication in excitotoxicity and cerebral ischemia].

In the central nervous system, several cellular types are able to produce nitric oxide (NO). In particular in neuronal cells, the excitatory amino-acid receptor activation induces NO synthesis and release. Since excessive activation of these receptors is responsible of neuronal death in excitotoxicity or cerebral ischemia, the hypothesis of a NO role in neuronal damage has been proposed. The use of NO synthesis inhibitors in excitotoxicity or cerebral focal ischemia models has provided contradictory data. Here we attempt to present the main bibliographic data concerning this controversial research area in order to a better comprehension of NO role in neuronal death.