== == = Antioxidants decrease disease in a Drosophila model of
Alzheimer's disease = Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of a number
of neurodegenerative disorders in which brain cells damaged by
naturally occurring chemicals known as reactive oxygen species
(ROS) have been observed. However, whether this oxidative damage
causes neurodegeneration or is a consequence of it has not been
previously determined. A study appearing online on December 14, in
advance of publication in the January print issue of the Journal of
Clinical Investigation, indicates that oxidative damage is a factor
contributing to neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of
neurodegenerative disorders such as AD. Mel Feany and colleagues
from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
assessed neuron cell death in Drosophila expressing a
neurodegenerative disease-associated form of the human protein tau.
The number of dying neurons was increased if these insects were
also genetically modified to have high levels of ROS. By contrast,
if the insects were treated with the antioxidant vitamin E they had
decreased numbers of dying neurons. This demonstration that
oxidative stress contributes to neurodegeneration in this model of
AD suggests that targeting antioxidant pathways might provide a new
approach for treating individuals with AD and other related
neurodegenerative disorders. TITLE: Oxidative stress mediates
tau-induced neurodegeneration in Drosophila. == ==
