[Oxidative stress and Alzheimer's disease]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become one of the most important and most interesting focuses in the field of medical and scientific research. Up to now, the pathogenesis of AD has not been completely clarified. However, the high-density of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in senile plaques of AD brain and the neurotoxicity of Aβ have been indisputable facts. The mechanisms underlying Aβ neurotoxicity are very complicated, involving calcium overload, inflammation, ion channel dysfunction, oxidative stress and so on. Among all of those, the mechanism of oxidative stress in Aβ neurotoxicity and the experimental progress of antioxidants in AD treatment have been widely reported in recent years. This review mainly discussed current research progresses on the oxidative stress of Aβ, so as to provide readers with some clues to the antioxidant therapy of AD.