ABSTRACT
I. Introduction................................................................................... 93 II. Neuronal Death by Oxidative Stress
In Vitro
............................. 94 III. Neuronoprotection against Oxidative Stress-Induced
Nonapoptotic Neuronal Death .................................................... 94 IV. Neuroprotection against Apoptotic Neuronal Death................. 96 V. Conclusions ................................................................................... 96
VI. Acknowledgments ........................................................................ 98 References ............................................................................................... 98
The pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by slow progressive death of the mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, has not been resolved. In familial Parkinson’s disease, mutations in the Parkin,
α
-synuclein,
or ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1
genes have been identified. Nevertheless, the degenerative process of the disease is still unclear in both familial and sporadic cases. Oxidative stress, which is caused by dopamine oxidation and iron accumulation in mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, could be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Parkinson’s disease has a higher prevalence in males than in females.
