‘NO-brainer’? – A Few Words About Nitric Oxide’s Influence on Neurodegenerative Diseases

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is considered a crucial signaling molecule in various stages of brain physiology, from development and synaptic plasticity to learning and memory. However, in situations where it is produced excessively and under oxidative stress conditions, nitric oxide becomes toxic, leading to the formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) that cause cellular damage. These neurotoxic effects of nitric oxide derivatives may play a role in the development of conditions such as stroke, inflammation, tumors and neurodegenerative disorders. The exact boundary between its physiological, hence neuroprotective, and pathological, that is, neurodegenerative, actions is a subject of controversy among researchers in the field.