AGE AND GSH METABOLISM IN RAT CEREBRAL-CORTEX, AS RELATED TO OXIDATIVE AND ENERGY PARAMETERS

A comprehensive study on GSH metabolism in relation to some markers of oxidative and energy status in rat cerebral cortex as a function of a ge was performed. Reduced GSH, total GSH and the GSH Redox Index decre ased both during growth (defined as the period between 1 and 5 months) and during aging (defined as the period between 5 and 27 months) whil e GSSG levels increased during the two periods, but most significantly during aging. Also GSH-associated enzymes and adenine-pyridine nucleo tide levels show age characteristic changes. The obtained results sugg est that decreases in oxidative and energy metabolism occur during agi ng. They probably contribute to decreases in the activity of the biosy nthetic processes (i.e., NADP+(H) and GSH synthesis) and in the antiox idant capacity of the GSH system. However, the oxidative stress does n ot seem to be a typical characteristic of the aging period; as an oxid ative status is present during the growth period too. Typical paramete rs of aging process are mainly the low levels of reduced GSH, total GS H and GSH Redox Index and the high levels of GSSG as well as the high levels of GSH peroxidase and GSH transferase and the low levels of gam ma-glutamylcysteine synthetase.