Dietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

Several findings suggest that oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. First, the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease contain lesions that are typically associated with exposure to free radicals.^1,2 In addition, oxidative stress in brains of Alzheimer patients is indicated by elevated cerebral levels of endogenous antioxidants that scavenge free radicals.³ Moreover, in vitro studies suggest that exogenous antioxidants reduce the toxicity of β-amyloid in brains of Alzheimer patients.^1,2 Based on these findings, it has been hypothesized that antioxidants from food may reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease.