Protein S-nitrosylation refers to the process of attaching a nitric oxide （NO）-derived group to a cysteine （Cys） thiol to generate S-nitrosothiol （SNO）. S-nitrosylation is a reversible posttranslational modification，which acts a key role in the signal transduction pathway contributing to a variety of physiological and pathological processes in the nervous system. This article will summarize the regulatory mechanism of S-nitrosylation，its relationship with the pathogenesis，and the treatment of neurological diseases based on S-nitrosylation，in order to provide a new idea for the development of such research in the future.