title: Total antioxidant capacity of cerebrospinal fluid is decreased in patients with motor neuron disease.
abstract: Oxidative stress has been associated with motor neuron disease (MND). The human body has several antioxidant defense systems to repair the damage caused by oxidative stress. The activity of these systems is thought to be reduced in neurodegenerative diseases, which may increase the level of oxidative damage and be a contributing factor to motor neuron death. In the present study, we compared the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of MND patients with that of a control group including patients with migraine, tension headache and psychiatric disorders. Within-subject serum and CSF TAC were strongly correlated (r=0.639; p=0.000), and CSF TAC was significantly lower in MND patients as compared to controls after adjustment for known influencing factors (112.7 micromol Fe/L+/-11.7 versus 135.2 micromol Fe/L+/-19.7; p=0.012). No differences in serum or CSF TAC were observed among the clinical forms of MND considered in this work. In conclusion, the CSF TAC was strongly correlated with serum TAC, and a decrease in CSF TAC was demonstrated in MND patients compared to controls that was not independent from serum antioxidants, this translating in a systemic (but prevailing in the CNS) oxidative damage in this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Nuovo Ospedale Civile S. Agostino-Estense, Via Giardini 1355, 41100 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mandrioli
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Del Rio
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nichelli
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merelli
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beltrami
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Furio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brighenti
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants