Evidence for oxidative stress in the subthalamic nucleus in progressive supranuclear palsy

Increased free radical production and oxidative stress have been proposed as pathogenic mechanisms in several neurodegenerative disorders. Free radicals interact with biological macromolecules, such as lipids, which can lead to lipid peroxidation. A well-established marker of oxidative damage to lipids is malondialdehyde (MDA). We measured tissue MDA levels in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and cerebellum from 11 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) cases and 11 age-matched control cases using sensitive HPLC techniques. In PSP, a significant increase in tissue MDA levels was observed in the STN when compared with the age-matched control group. By contrast, no significant difference between tissue MDA content was observed in cerebellar tissue from the same PSP and age-matched control cases. These results indicate that lipid peroxidation may play a role in the pathogenesis of PSP.