Title:Anti-Oxidant Drugs: Novelties and Clinical Implications in Cerebellar Ataxias
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
Author(s): Emanuele Barca*, Valentina Emmanuele, Salvatore DiMauro, Antonio Toscano and Catarina M. Quinzii
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032,United States
Keywords:
Antioxidants, cerebellar ataxia, coenzyme Q10, idebenone, ataxias, oxidative stress.
Abstract: Background: Hereditary cerebellar ataxias are a group of disorders characterized by
heterogeneous clinical manifestations, progressive clinical course, and diverse genetic causes. No
disease modifying treatments are yet available for many of these disorders. Oxidative stress has
been recurrently identified in different progressive cerebellar diseases, and it represents a widely
investigated target for treatment.
Objective: To review the main aspects and new perspectives of antioxidant therapy in cerebellar
ataxias ranging from bench to bedside.
Method: This article is a summary of the state-of-the-art on the use of antioxidant molecules in
cerebellar ataxia treatments. It also briefly summarizes aspects of oxidative stress production and
general characteristics of antioxidant compounds.
Results: Antioxidants represent a vast category of compounds; old drugs have been extensively
studied and modified in order to achieve better biological effects. Despite the vast body of literature
present on the use of antioxidants in cerebellar ataxias, for the majority of these disorders conclusive
results on the efficacy are still missing.
Conclusion: Antioxidant therapy in cerebellar ataxias is a promising field of investigations. To
achieve the success in identifying the correct treatment more work needs to be done. In particular, a
combined effort is needed by basic scientists in developing more efficient molecules, and by clinical
researchers together with patients communities, to run clinical trials in order to identify conclusive
treatments strategies.
