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Updated: May 27, 2026

Gene-environment Interaction Models to Unmask Susceptibility Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: January 7, 2014
Neurotoxic effects of tetrahydroisoquinolines and underlying mechanisms
Young-Joon Surh1, Hyun-Jung Kim
1College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
Abstract:
Tetrahydropapaveroline (THP), a neurotoxic tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid formed by condensation between dopamine and dopaldehyde, has been speculated to cause Parkinson's disease and also to contribute to alcohol dependence. Having two catechol moieties, THP may readily undergo oxidation to form an o-quinone intermediate with concomitant production of reactive oxygen species, which can cause neuronal cell death and DNA damage. This review will deal with the current knowledge of neurotoxic effects of this endogenous alkaloid and underlying biochemical mechanisms.
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