Potential and value of rescuing dying neurons

Unwarranted death of neurons is a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases. Since mature neurons are postmitotic and do not replicate, their death usually constitutes an irreversible step in pathology. A logical strategy to prevent neurodegeneration would then be to save all neurons that are still alive, i.e. protecting the ones that are still healthy as well as trying to rescue the ones that are damaged and in the process of dying. Regarding the latter, recent experiments have indicated that the possibility of reversing the cell death process and rescuing dying cells is more significant than previously anticipated. In many situations, the elimination of the cell death trigger alone enables dying cells to spontaneously repair their damage, recover, and survive. In this review, we explore the factors, which determine the fate of neurons engaged in the cell death process. A deeper insight into cell death mechanisms and the intrinsic capacity of cells to recover could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches to neurodegenerative diseases.