Interweaving of reactive oxygen species and major neurological and psychiatric disorders.

ABSTRACT

Reactive oxygen species are found to be having a wide range of biological effects ranging from regulating functions in normal physiology to alteration and damaging various processes and cell components causing a number of diseases. Mitochondria are an important organelle responsible for energy production and in many signalling mechanisms. The electron transport chain in mitochondria, where oxidative phosphorylation takes place, is also coupled with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Changes in normal homeostasis and overproduction of reactive oxygen species by various sources are found to be involved in multiple neurological and major neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarises the role of reactive oxygen species and the mechanism of neuronal loss in major neuronal disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, depression, and schizophrenia.