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Oxidative damage and progression to Alzheimer's disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Inês Baldeiras1, Isabel Santana, Maria Teresa Proença

  • 1Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Neurology Department, Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal. ines.baldeiras@sapo.pt

Journal of Alzheimer'S Disease : JAD
|April 20, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Oxidative damage accumulates early in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Declining antioxidant defenses, particularly vitamin E, in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients correlate with cognitive decline, suggesting a key role in AD development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Oxidative changes are prevalent in Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
  • These oxidative alterations are also observed in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
  • The role of oxidative stress in the progression from MCI to AD remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of oxidative stress in the progression of MCI to AD.
  • To analyze antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage markers in MCI patients over time.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 70 MCI patients.
  • Measurement of peripheral blood antioxidant defenses (enzymatic and non-enzymatic).
  • Assessment of lipid, protein oxidation, and nitrogen oxidative species.

Main Results:

  • No baseline differences in oxidative damage between stable MCI and MCI progressing to AD.
  • Increased lipid peroxidation in both groups.
  • MCI patients progressing to AD showed decreased antioxidant defenses (glutathione ratio, vitamin E) compared to stable MCI.
  • Vitamin E decline correlated with cognitive deterioration in MCI-AD patients.

Conclusions:

  • Oxidative damage accumulation may begin in pre-symptomatic stages of AD.
  • Progression from MCI to AD may be linked to the depletion of cellular antioxidant defenses.
  • Early detection and intervention targeting oxidative stress could be crucial for managing AD progression.

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