The Open Pathology Journal

2009, 3 : 38-42
Published online 2009 May 15. DOI: 10.2174/1874375700903010038
Publisher ID: TOPATJ-3-38

Oxidative Stress in Parkinson’s Disease

Avi L. Friedlich , Mark A. Smith , Xiongwei Zhu , Atsushi Takeda , Akihiko Nunomura , Paula I. Moreira and George Perry
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA

ABSTRACT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, age-related movement disorder, whose neuropathology is characterized by degeneration of the afferent pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra. Also associated with PD neuropathology are disrupted iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and intracellular deposition of alpha-synuclein protein in Lewy bodies. Here we review oxidative stress mechanisms in Parkinson’s disease, with emphasis on the relationship between oxidative stress and alpha-synuclein gene expression.

Keywords:

Alpha-synuclein, PET, iron regulatory protein, iron responsive element, oxidative stress, Parkinson’s disease..