Oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases

Oxygen can potentially be dangerous, and a complex system of checks and balances exists for utilizing this crucial element. A disruption in these checks and balances produces “oxidative stress,” which has been implicated in the progression of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance in prooxidant/antioxidant homeostasis that leads to the generation of toxic radical oxygen species causing pathological modifications in protein structures such as β-amyloid and α-synuclein. Reactive metal species are also implicated in causing damage, but the exact physiological mechanisms of oxygen regulation remain unanswered. However, this same complexity provides a number of therapeutic targets and different strategies, including neuromuscular junction blockers, which have shown noteworthy results in clinical studies.