Positive Health Online

Abstract

SHOR-POSNER and colleagues, Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA, review (53 references ) neuroprotection in HIV-positive drug users and its implication for antioxidant therapy. Impaired protection of nerve cells resulting from oxidative stress has been implicated in neurodegeneration in a number of pathological conditions of the brain including both cortical and subcortical dementias . Moreover excessive oxidative stress can lead to elevated levels of certain cytokines that are thought to contribute to neuronal injury and are evident in HIV-related dementia as well as other neurodegenerative disorders . Inhibitors of oxidative damage could thus be promising therapeutic agents for preventing progressive nerve cell death and slowing the advance of neurodegenerative diseases . The potential of antioxidant therapy to provide neuroprotection is substantiated by studies demonstrating lower risk of cognitive impairment with higher plasma antioxidant levels .

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References

Shor-Posner G, Lecusay R, Morales G, Campa A, Migue-Burbano MJ, et al. Neuroprotection in HIV positive drug users: implications for antioxidant therapy. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 31 Suppl 2:S84-S88, Oct 2002.