L-DOPA treatment from the viewpoint of neuroprotection. Possible mechanism of specific and progressive dopaminergic neuronal death in Parkinson's disease.
With regard to the mechanism of selective dopaminergic neuronal death, experimental results of studies on the neurotoxicity of MPTP and rotenone indicate that degeneration of dopamine neurons is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory process and oxidative stress, particularly with regard to the generation of quinones as dopamine neuron-specific oxidative stress. Thus, it is now clear that the presence of high levels of discompartmentalized free dopamine in dopaminergic neurons may explain the specific vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons through the generation of highly toxic quinones.
Ogawa
Norio
N
Dept. of Brain Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine & Dentistry, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. ogawakun@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
Asanuma
Masato
M
Miyazaki
Ikuko
I
Diaz-Corrales
Francisco J
FJ
Miyoshi
Ko
K
D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine