Peyser C E, Folstein M, Chase G A, Starkstein S, Brandt J, Cockrell J R, Bylsma F, Coyle J T, McHugh P R, Folstein S E
Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.
Am J Psychiatry. 1995 Dec;152(12):1771-5. doi: 10.1176/ajp.152.12.1771.
Evidence suggests that the neuropathology of Huntington's disease, a neuropsychiatric disorder due to a mutation on chromosome 4, results from excessive activation of glutamate-gated ion channels, which kills neurons by oxidative stress. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that alpha-tocopherol, which reduces oxyradical damage to cell membranes, might slow the course of Huntington's disease.
A prospective, double-blind; placebo-controlled study of high-dose d-alpha-tocopherol treatment was carried out with a cohort of 73 patients with Huntington's disease who were randomly assigned to either d-alpha-tocopherol or placebo. Patients were monitored for changes in neurologic and neuropsychologic symptoms.
Treatment with d-alpha-tocopherol had no effect on neurologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms in the treatment group overall. However, post hoc analysis revealed a significant selective therapeutic effect on neurologic symptoms for patients early in the course of the disorder.
Antioxidant therapy may slow the rate of motor decline early in the course of Huntington's disease.
有证据表明，亨廷顿舞蹈症是一种由4号染色体突变引起的神经精神疾病，其神经病理学是由谷氨酸门控离子通道过度激活所致，该通道通过氧化应激杀死神经元。因此，作者推测，可减少氧自由基对细胞膜损伤的α-生育酚可能会减缓亨廷顿舞蹈症的病程。
对73例亨廷顿舞蹈症患者进行了一项前瞻性、双盲、安慰剂对照的高剂量d-α-生育酚治疗研究，这些患者被随机分配接受d-α-生育酚或安慰剂治疗。对患者的神经和神经心理症状变化进行监测。
总体而言，d-α-生育酚治疗对治疗组的神经和神经精神症状没有影响。然而，事后分析显示，对于疾病病程早期的患者，d-α-生育酚对神经症状有显著的选择性治疗效果。
抗氧化治疗可能会减缓亨廷顿舞蹈症病程早期的运动功能衰退速度。
