Nitric oxide overproduction and oxidative stress in human idiopathic Parkinson’s disease

GATTO EM, RIOBÓ NA, CARRERAS MC, PODEROSO JJ

Free Radicals in Brain Pathophysiology

Año: 2000; p. 291 - 311

Neurodegenerative diseases are a complex group of neurological disorders that present a common hallmark: the selective death of circumscribed groups of neurons. In accord, PArkinson´s disease (PD) is characterized by a massive loss of melanized dopaminergic neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra with a significant reduction of the striatal dopamine (DA) content. Cell death should be related to the activation of proapoptotic pathways. In the las years, many efforts were conducted to determine the etiology and pahophysiology of PD, although the mechanism underlying the selective neuron death remains unknown. Both genetic predisposition and enviromental factors have been implicated in the etiology of PD. On the other hand, toxic mechanisms related to endogenous or exogenous toxins have been proposed. At present, there is increasing evidence that either genetic or acquired factors could lead to oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and mitochondrial impairment, as the confluent mechanisms which ultimately increase cell apoptosis in the substantia nigra.