Protein synthesis inhibitors have recently been shown to protect from ischemia-induced neuronal death in the rat hippocampus in vivo. In an attempt to further investigate the mechanism of neuronal death resulting from anoxia, cerebellar neurons grown in culture were exposed to an anoxic atmosphere in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors. Anisomycin and cycloheximide (100 micrograms/ml) offered, respectively, a 97 +/- 4% and 26 +/- 13% protection against anoxia-induced neuronal death.