Oxidative stress is increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of virtually all neurological and neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and central nervous system (CNS).
May it be Alzheimer's or other dementias, Parkinson's, motoneuron disease (ALS) and other neurological diseases, given the hundreds of scientific research publications that name oxidative stress as one of the key contributors to neurodegenerative processes it appears to be wise for anyone suffering from or being at risk of neurodegenerative disease to supplement their diet with effective antioxidants in order to help reduce the oxidative damage that contributes to disease progression.
The brain is highly susceptible to
oxidative stress due to its high lipid content, and because it is the highest energy producing and oxygen consuming organ in the body. Oxidative stress results when
reactive oxygen species (ROS) production exceeds the cells abilities to detoxify ROS. Over-production of ROS damages cellular components, including lipids, proteins and DNA, leading to a decline in physiological function and cell death. In the brain this process can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, CNS traumas, and accelerate brain ageing. (Adibhatla RM, Hatcher JF; Lipid Oxidation and Peroxidation in CNS Health and Disease: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities. Antioxidant and Redox Signaling 2009 Jul 22.)
Neurodegenerative diseases of the brain, including
Alzheimer's disease,
frontotemporal degeneration and
Lewy body disease, are the most frequent pathologies underlying cognitive disorders in old age. Abnormal processing of proteins leading to mis-folding, and subsequent deposition of amyloid beta, TAU, and other proteins, is a key event in the pathological cascades of neurodegenerations leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. The non-polymerized, oligomeric forms of these proteins have neurotoxic properties including the disruption of synaptic function and the induction of oxidative stress. (Kurz A, Perneczky R; Neurobiology of cognitive disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2009 Jul 29.)
In a small randomised controlled clinical study on ENZO Professional Dr Andrew Pipingas and Prof Richard Silberstein, researchers at the Brain Sciences Institute - Swinburne University, Melbourne, found that 4 caps per day of ENZO Professional can lead to significant improvements in working memory performance after 5 weeks of taking this nutritional supplement. However, this study was carried out in a group of men, 50-65 years old, with no neurodegeneration or cognitive problems. Therefore, it is yet unclear if ENZO Professional can help to improve cognitive function in people suffering any form of dementia. More research needs to be conducted to eveluate its efficacy in dementia.
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(Pipingas, A.; Silberstein, R. B.; Vitetta, L.; Rooy, C. V.; Harris, E. V.; Young, J. M., et al. Improved cognitive performance after dietary supplementation with a Pinus Radiata bark extract formulation. Phytotherapy Research 22: 1168-1174; 2008.) |
Below are two short video excerpts from presentation at the International Symposium on Brain Ageing and Cognition, 13 July 2007, Swinburne Centre for Healthy Ageing, that outline some of the findings of this study.