Oxidative stress, antioxidants, and Alzheimer disease

Recent evidence in the field of Alzheimer disease research has highlighted the importance of oxidative processes in its pathogenesis. Examination of c ellular changes shows that oxidative stress is an event that precedes the a ppearance of neurofibrillary tangles, one of the hallmark pathologies of th e disease. Although it is still unclear what the initial source of the oxid ative stress is in Alzheimer disease, it is likely that the process is high ly dependent on the presence of redox-active transition metals, such as iro n and copper. Because of the proximal role that oxidative stress mechanisms seem to pray in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease, further investigati on in this realm may lead to novel therapeutic strategies.