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. 1999 Jan;22(1):9–17. doi: 10.1007/s11357-999-0002-7

The effects of aging and oxidative stress on psychomotor and cognitive behavior

Barbara Shukitt-Hale 1
PMCID: PMC3455411  PMID: 23604386

Abstract

Decrements in motor and cognitive function occur in aging, possibly due to oxidative stress-induced damage to the brain. Declines in antioxidant defense mechanisms have been postulated as a causative factor in these age-related decrements, however a clear link between oxidative stress (OS) and behavioral changes in aging has yet to be established. This review shows that age-validated psychomotor and cognitive tests are sensitive to behavioral deficits under different models of OS, including: 1) decreasing OS protection by depleting glutathione and then increasing the OS with dopamine; 2) 100% oxygen exposure; and 3) radiation. Furthermore, interventions that reduce OS result in concurrent improvements in age-associated behavioral deficits. Therefore, age-related changes in behavior may result from an inability to cope with OS that occurs throughout the life-span.

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