title: Nitric oxide in the central nervous system: neuroprotection versus neurotoxicity.
abstract: At the end of the 1980s, it was clearly demonstrated that cells produce nitric oxide and that this gaseous molecule is involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems, rather than simply being a toxic pollutant. In the CNS, nitric oxide has an array of functions, such as the regulation of synaptic plasticity, the sleep-wake cycle and hormone secretion. Particularly interesting is the role of nitric oxide as a Janus molecule in the cell death or survival mechanisms in brain cells. In fact, physiological amounts of this gas are neuroprotective, whereas higher concentrations are clearly neurotoxic.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. calabres@unict.it
authors: Vittorio
authors: V
authors: Calabrese
authors: Cesare
authors: C
authors: Mancuso
authors: Menotti
authors: M
authors: Calvani
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Rizzarelli
authors: D Allan
authors: DA
authors: Butterfield
authors: Anna Maria Giuffrida
authors: AM
authors: Stella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide