Cellular　apoptosis　and　the　expression　of　p75　neurotrophin　receptor　(p75(NTR))　and　tyrosine　kinase　A　receptor　(TrkA)　were　investigated　in　the　tissues　surrounding　haematoma　in　patients　with　intracerebral　haemorrhage.　Specimens　of　tissue　from　near　the　haematoma　(haemorrhagic　samples)　and　tissue　from　a　distant　site　(control　samples)　were　collected　from　14　patients　with　basal　ganglia　haemorrhage　undergoing　surgical　intervention.　Cellular　apoptosis　was　determined　by　terminal　deoxynucleotidyl　transferase-mediated　deoxyuridine　triphosphate　nick-end　labelling　(TUNEL),　and　p75NTR　and　TrkA　location,　protein　and　gene　expression　were　studied　using　immunohistochemistry,　Western　blot　and　real-time　polymerase　chain　reaction,　respectively.　The　percentage　of　apoptotic　cells　and　expression　of　p75NTR,　but　not　of　TrkA,　were　significantly　higher　in　the　haemorrhagic　samples　than　in　the　control　samples.　There　was　a　positive　correlation　between　the　percentage　of　TUNEL-positive　cells　and　the　percentage　of　p75(NTR)-positive　cells.　These　results　suggest　that　the　p75(NTR)-　dependent　signal　transduction　pathway　plays　an　important　role　in　apoptosis　after　intracerebral　haemorrhage.