We tested here the hypothesis that the pharmacological modulation of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (mNCX) could be a new neuroprotective strategy to rescue stressed vulnerable neurons from death. We used rat hippocampal slices incubated with veratridine to cause neuronal death through a mechanism involving Na+ and Ca2+ overload. CGP37157 (CGP), an inhibitor of the mNCX, rescued veratridine vulnerable neurons from death, showing an EC50 of 5 mu M. This neuroprotection was associated to mitigation of veratridine-elicited overproduction of free radicals and to inhibition of the p38 MAPK-linked apoptotic pathway. These results suggest that the mNCX could become a new target to develop compounds with potential therapeutic neuroprotective actions in neurodegenerative diseases. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.