Oxidative stress can be defined as a rise of oxidative potential or decrease of antioxidant status. Oxidative stress is caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are produced by one-electron reduction of oxygen in the electron transport chain, as well as many other reactions. Effects of ROS can result in cellular membrane damage, structural and functional changes in enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins, and damage to the DNA structure. Excessive generation of free radicals, decrease of enzymatic antioxidant activity, and/or reducing agents are considered as the main causes of oxidative stress. Since the brain contains a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, consumes up to 20% of oxygen used by the whole body, and shows low antioxidant activity, it seems to be especially vulnerable to oxidative stress. Numerous data show the significant role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases.

One of the latest theories on ageing focuses on immune response, and considers the activation of subclinical and chronic inflammation. The study was designed to explain whether anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle exercise affect an inflammatory profile in the Polish elderly population. Sixty individuals (80.2 ± 7.9 years) were allocated to a low-grade inflammation (LGI n = 33) or high-grade inflammation (HGI n = 27) group, based on C-reactive protein concentration (<3 or ≥3 mg/L) as a conventional marker of systemic inflammation. Diet analysis focused on vitamins D, C, E, A, β-carotene, n-3 and n-6 PUFA using single 24-h dietary recall. LGI demonstrated a lower n-6/n-3 PUFA but higher vitamin D intake than HGI. Physical performance based on 6-min walk test (6MWT) classified the elderly as physically inactive, whereby LGI demonstrated a significantly higher gait speed (1.09 ± 0.26 m/s) than HGI (0.72 ± 0.28 m/s). Circulating interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, IL-13, TNFα and cfDNA demonstrated high concentrations in the elderly with low 6MWT, confirming an impairment of physical performance by persistent systemic inflammation. These findings reveal that increased intake of anti-inflammatory diet ingredients and physical activity sustained throughout life attenuate progression of inflammaging in the elderly and indicate potential therapeutic strategies to counteract pathophysiological effects of ageing.

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Imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory systems in the brains of TS patients may be reflected by glutamate and GABA serum level changes. Glutamate and GABA may be biomarkers of the disease and high concentration of glutamate may indicate more severe course of TS.

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