Glutathione depletion: Starting point of brain metabolic stress, neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in rats.

Glutathione provides protection from oxidative stress-induced damage through the reduction of reactive oxygen species for the maintenance of oxidant homeostasis. Our purpose was to test the effects of depleting tissue GSH by buthionine sulfoximine on brain oxidative metabolism and cognitive performance in rats. Glutathione depletion induced a compensatory response on antioxidant enzymes and increase of cell damage indicators in all the examined cerebral areas at 24h.