Quinones and Other Reactive Oxygen Species in Neurobiologic, Apoptotic, and Neurotoxic Processes

Model Neuromelanins as antioxidative agents during lipid peroxidation

Although neuromelanins appear to have a seemingly important role in chain terminating reactions, neuromelanin-/dopamine-containing neurons of the substantia nigra (and neuromelanin-/norepinephrine-containing neurons of the locus coeruleus) degenerate in Parkinson's disease. One might assume that degeneration would proceed more rapidly as a consequence of dopamine metabolism, if neuromelanin were not present. However, ventral tegmental neurons do not have the same density of neuromelanin; and I believe that they do not degenerate to the extent of substantia nigra neurons. What might account for this apparent difference in neuronal susceptibility to injury by reactive oxygen?

Tue Dec 15