The actions of glucocorticoids require the synthesis of new proteins in many, if not all, cases. One such protein that mimics the actions of glucocorticoids has been isolated and characterized as lipocortin. This protein can mimic the anti-inflammatory activity of glucocorticoids by inhibiting phospholipase A2. The effect of glucocorticoids on various stages of brain and spinal cord injury may be partly, although not totally, explained by the activity of lipocortin.