Antioxidative and steroid systems in neurological and psychiatric disorders.

A large number of neurological and psychiatric diseases like Morbus Parkinson, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, dementia, schizophrenia and probably also affective disorders show an enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, alterations of antioxidative systems and beneficial effects of antioxidative substances including steroid compounds such as estrogens have been described in several of these diseases. This review focuses on alterations of antioxidative systems in the course of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders and on the differential effects of steroids on these systems in the central nervous system. Moreover, a possible clinical relevance of alterations of circulating steroids and of steroid treatment under these conditions is discussed.