Oxidative stress and neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract

Several disease conditions are believed to be related to oxygen free radical formation including a number of neurodegenerative disorders. Therapy using free radical scavengers (antioxidants) has been used to prevent, delay or modify the progress of many neurological disorders. The optimum antioxidant therapeutic options have to be tailored and modified individually. This is because the biochemistry of oxidative pathophysiology is still a complex matter. In this review the role of oxidative stress and the potential therapeutic effect of some antioxidants is discussed in a number of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.