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. 2021 Sep 22:15:726457.
doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.726457. eCollection 2021.

Micronutrients May Be a Unique Weapon Against the Neurotoxic Triad of Excitotoxicity, Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation: A Perspective

Kathleen F Holton  1
Affiliations

Micronutrients May Be a Unique Weapon Against the Neurotoxic Triad of Excitotoxicity, Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation: A Perspective

Kathleen F Holton. Front Neurosci. .

Abstract

Excitotoxicity has been implicated in many neurological disorders and is a leading cause of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the nervous system. Most of the research to date has focused on each of these conditions individually; however, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation have the ability to influence one another in a self-sustaining manner, thus functioning as a "neurotoxic triad." This perspective article re-introduces the concept of the neurotoxic triad and reviews how specific dietary micronutrients have been shown to protect against not only oxidative stress, but also excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation. Future dietary interventions for neurological disorders could focus on the effects on all three aspects of the neurotoxic triad.

Keywords: antioxidants; excitotoxicity; glutathione; neuroinflammation; neurotoxic triad; oxidative stress; vitamins.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The neurotoxic triad is a self-perpetuating cycle between excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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