Toxic exposure and life style factors on ageing brain neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's: Role of natural antioxidants to ameliorate the condition

Abstract

Toxic exposure is a major risk factor for many neurodegenerative diseases in ageing brain such as, Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD), where decline of biological activities in cellular microenvironment render the organism more susceptible to either endogenous or exogenous stressors especially free radical damage, leading to pathological conditions. PCBs, MPTP, organochlorines and organophosphates, paraquat, fipronil, pyrithroid, quinines, and metals like, lead, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, arsenic etc. are play the crucial role in age-related diseases, AD and PD. Further, the degree of changes in the ageing brain in these cases not only depends on toxic exposures and genetic susceptibility but also on food habit, life style (use of alcohol, smoking, caffeine), environment etc. Certain antioxidants through diet can improve scenario of ageing brain and modulate specific molecular signalling. Therefore, this review briefly discusses the current status of the toxic exposure and life styles on ageing brain neurodegenerative diseases especially, AD and PD, and throws a light on the disease management through natural antioxidant supplements. For this purpose, data were searched through PubMed, MedLine, ResearchGate and Google using several combinations of terms pertaining to different aspects of oxidative modification in ageing brain, exposure of several toxicants and life style factors, AD and PD as well as natural antioxidants.