The pathophysiologies of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are far from being fully explained. Oxidative stress (OS) has been proposed as one factor that plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Clinical and preclinical studies indicate that neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by higher levels of OS biomarkers and by lower levels of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the brain and peripheral tissues. In this article, we review the current knowledge regarding the involvement of OS in neurodegenerative diseases, based on clinical trials and animal studies. In addition, we analyze the effects of the drug-induced modulation of oxidative balance, and we explore pharmacotherapeutic strategies for OS reduction.

The pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, is far from being fully elucidated. In recent years, a potential role of the oxidative stress has been highlighted in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. A body of clinical and preclinical evidence indicates that psychiatric diseases are characterized by higher levels of oxidative biomarkers and with lower levels of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the brain and peripheral tissues. In this article, we review current knowledge on the role of the oxidative stress in psychiatric diseases, based on clinical trials and animal studies, in addition, we analyze the effects of drug-induced modulation of oxidative balance and explore pharmacotherapeutic strategies for oxidative stress reduction.

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Oxidative stress is a dysfunctional state of living cells, caused by the disturbance of the pro-/antioxidative equilibrium. This dynamic equilibrium, constitutive for all aerobic organisms, is an inevitable necessity of maintaining the level of oxidative factors on non-destructive value to the cell. Among these factors reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are the best known molecules. This review article shows the current state of knowledge on the chemical specificity, relative reactivity and main sources of ROS and RNS in biological systems. As a Part 1 to the report about the role of oxidative stress in psychiatric disorders (see Smaga et al., Pharmacological Reports, this issue), special emphasis is placed on biochemical determinants in nervous tissue, which predisposed it to oxidative damage. Oxidative stress can be identified based on the analysis of various biochemical indicators showing the status of antioxidant barrier or size of the damage. In our article, we have compiled the most commonly used biomarkers of oxidative stress described in the literature with special regard to potentially effective in the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative processes.