Homocysteine in Neurological Disease: A Marker or a Cause?

Suruchi      Khanna; Puneet      Kapoor; K.      K. Pillai; Divya      Vohora

doi:10.2174/187152711794653797

Abstract

Hyperhomocysteinemia is increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor for several cerebral, vascular, ocular, and agerelated disorders. Whether it is a cause or a consequence or a mere marker necessitates further clarification. This review focuses on the pathophysiological aspects of homocysteines involvement in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders and complications. The pharmacological agents (antiepileptic drugs, L-DOPA) augment the homocysteine levels, thus, raising concern for physicians. The mechanisms underlying the enhanced homocysteine levels and its related pathophysiological cascades remain poorly understood, inspite of numerous epidemiological and research studies that have been carried out in recent years. This article will review the current understanding of these underlying mechanisms and the research being carried with homocysteine as a core molecule.

Keywords: Homocysteine, homocysteine thiolactone, hyperhomocysteinemia, diagnostic marker, prognostic marker, predictive marker, L-DOPA, HCY, Folic acid, Pyridoxine, Cobalamin, Trimethylglycine, Choline, Melatonin, MK-801