After an ischemic injury many nerve cells of the brain which are not killed outright may suffer delayed death or recovery. This fact has led to the concept of "maturation phenomenon" of neuronal injuries. Since the 1st International Symposium on Maturation Phenomenon in 1990, developments, particularly in molecular biology, have been bringing new information about the molecular nature and mechanisms of cell death. This text contains the presentations of the 2nd International Symposium held in Tokyo in April 1996. The latest developments in maturation phenomenon and the present status of investigation are described.