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INTRODUCTION Exposure to very high oxygen partial pressure may cause central nervous system oxygen toxicity (CNS-OT). The role of necroptosis in the pathogenesis of CNS-OT is still unclear. METHODS In experiment one, male C57BL/6 mice in the oxygen toxicity (OT) group (n = 5) and necrostatin-1 (Nec-1; a necroptosis inhibitor) (1.5 mg·kg-1, intraperitoneal) group (n = 5) were exposed to pure oxygen at 600 kPa, and the latency to tonic-clonic seizure was recorded. In experiment two, mice were divided into three groups: control group (n = 11), OT group (n = 12) and Nec-1 group (n = 12). Nec-1 was intraperitoneally administered 30 min before oxygen exposure. Mice in the OT group and Nec-1 group were exposed to pure oxygen at 400 kPa for 30 min, and then sacrificed; the brain was harvested for the assessment of inflammation, oxidative stress and necroptosis. RESULTS Experiment one. Nec-1 pre-treatment significantly prolonged the latency to seizure (245 [SD 18] seconds in the OT group versus 336 (34) seconds in the Nec-1 group). Experiment two. Nec-1 pre-treatment markedly reduced inflammatory cytokines and inhibited cerebral necroptosis, but failed to significantly suppress cerebral oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate necroptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of CNS-OT, and inhibition of necroptosis may prolong seizure latency, but the specific mechanisms should be investigated further.