What is the Origin of Oxidative Stress Neuronal Damage?

The term combines "Oxidative Stress," a concept from free radical biology, with "Neuronal Damage," referring to injury to nerve cells. Its clinical significance emerged from research linking mitochondrial dysfunction and free radical production to neurodegeneration.

What is the Mechanism of Oxidative Stress Neuronal Damage?

Neurons are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress due to their high metabolic rate, elevated oxygen consumption, and lipid-rich membranes. Reactive oxygen species are generated as byproducts of normal mitochondrial respiration. When the internal antioxidant systems, such as glutathione and superoxide dismutase, become depleted, the free radicals attack cellular components, leading to mitochondrial failure, synaptic dysfunction, and ultimately, programmed cell death (apoptosis).

Oxidative Stress Neuronal Damage ∞ Area

Oxidative Stress Neuronal Damage

Meaning

Oxidative Stress Neuronal Damage describes the pathological process where an excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overwhelms the antioxidant defenses within the central nervous system, leading to structural and functional injury to neurons. This imbalance results in the peroxidation of lipids, oxidation of proteins, and damage to DNA, disrupting critical cellular processes. This chronic damage is a major contributing factor to neurodegenerative diseases and age-related cognitive decline. It represents a fundamental challenge to neurological longevity.