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Current Alzheimer Research

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1567-2050
ISSN (Online): 1875-5828

Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase (EC-SOD) Quenches Free Radicals and Attenuates Age-Related Cognitive Decline: Opportunities for Novel Drug Development in Aging

Author(s): Edward D. Levin

Volume 2, Issue 2, 2005

Page: [191 - 196] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/1567205053585710

Price: $65

Abstract

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is one of the most effective mechanisms in physiology for inactivating reactive oxygen species. Elevated SOD activity can be therapeutically useful by protecting against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity. Acutely increased extracellular-SOD (EC-SOD) activity protects against neurobehavioral impairment caused by acute ischemia. Chronically increased EC-SOD activity may also be therapeutically useful by protecting against chronic oxidative stress-induced neurobehavioral damage that accumulates during the aging process. We have found that mice with genetic overexpression of EC-SOD do not show the aging-induced decline in learning and memory that control, wild type mice show. From 14-22 months of age, the EC-SOD overexpressing mice have significantly better spatial learning working memory function than that of controls. This effect is specific to the aging period. Young adult EC-SOD overexpressing mice do not have better learning and memory function than controls. The beneficial effects of increased EC-SOD activity with aging may be achieved without risk of impairment during younger ages by chronically administering EC-SOD mimetics from mature adulthood into the aging period. Novel EC-SOD mimetics may be useful in attenuating aging-induced cognitive impairments and other aspects of physiological decline with aging.

Keywords: extracellular superoxide, neuronal damage, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, alzheimer, , s disease, brain, neural signaling


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