Unregulated Lipid Peroxidation in Neurological Dysfunction

Lipid peroxidation has been the subject of extensive studies focusing on its biochemical mechanisms, dynamics, product analysis, involvement in diseases, inhibition, and biological signaling. Lipid hydroperoxides are formed as major primary products, but they are substrates for various enzymes and they also undergo various secondary reactions. Recently, the biological roles of lipid peroxidation products have received much attention, not only for their pathological mechanisms, but also for their practical clinical applications as biomarkers. Hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid from linoleates, F2-isoprostanes from arachidonates, and neuroprostanes from docosahexanoates have been proposed as biomarkers for evaluating oxidative stress in vivo and in oxidative stress-related diseases. Although neurodegenerative disorders have various causes, there is much accumulated evidence to show that oxidative stress is involved in their pathologies. Moreover, the mechanism of reactive oxygen species production differs in each disease. Here, the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and Down syndrome are described.