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Mitochondria, free radicals, neurodegeneration and aging

  • Conference paper
Oxidative Stress and Aging

Part of the book series: Molecular and Cell Biology Updates ((MCBU))

Abstract

The discovery that defects of the mitochondrial respiratory chain can result in human diseases is relatively recent (Schapira and DiMauro, 1994; Wallace, 1992). Over the same period evidence has also been presented which suggests that mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and a decline in respiratory chain function contribute to the aging process. This chapter will review the lessons that can be learned from our study of inborn metabolic defects of the respiratory chain in understanding the functional importance of cumulative mtDNA mutations. The potential role of mitochondrial toxins in human disease will also be discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK

    A. H. V. Schapira

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  1. A. H. V. Schapira
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, NIH, 21224, Baltimore, MD, USA

    R. G. Cutler

  2. Dept. Molecular and Cell Biology, 251 Life Science Addition, Membrane Bioenergetics Group, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA

    L. Packer

  3. Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Molecular Oncology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1236 Lauhala Street, 96813, Honolulu, HI, USA

    J. Bertram

  4. Dept. of Neuroscience, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikatacho, Okayama 700, Japan

    A. Mori

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© 1995 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland

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Schapira, A.H.V. (1995). Mitochondria, free radicals, neurodegeneration and aging. In: Cutler, R.G., Packer, L., Bertram, J., Mori, A. (eds) Oxidative Stress and Aging. Molecular and Cell Biology Updates. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7337-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7337-6_17

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-7339-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-7337-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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