[Autopsy]

The disappearance of autopsies is of concern in Neurology for three reasons: in some cases, such as degenerative diseases, the predictive value of clinical diagnosis is still poor; autopsy is, for Neurology, an important piece of the public health watch; the modern post-genomic research needs tissue samples that cannot be obtained by other means for ethical reasons. The main rules of autopsy in France, including the pitfalls of legislation, are recalled. The prerequisites for a renewing of autopsy, the modifications that are required, the procedure to explain its importance in the hospital, among neurologists, and in the society are considered.