Oxidative stress and depression. A possible etiologic role? Estrés oxidativo y depresión. ¿Un posible rol etiológico?

Abstract

The depression is one of the more commonly encountered psychiatric disorders of worldwide significance. However, the underlying pathophysiology has not been clearly defined. A possible etiologic role can be adjudged to the oxidative stress. The actual evidence demonstrates that patient with depression have high levels of lipid peroxidation, and diminished the antioxidant defenses, it is to say, present oxidative stress; and this oxidative stress is associated to a diminution of omega-3 fatty acids, fact that have demonstrated to be significantly associated with the mayor depression, minor depression and post-partum depression. Therefore, it is possible that oxidative stress can have a role in the etiology of the subtype of the depression related to diminution of omega-3 fatty acids. The intention of this work is to relate the etiologic role that would have the oxidative stress in those depressions related to deficit of the Omega-3 fatty acid. © 2006 Sociedad de Neurología, Psiquiatría