M.S. Biochemistry, Lucknow, India 1985 M.Phil. It is widely accepted that there is a disruption of calcium homeostasis in the aging brain which contributes to the cognitive and memory dysfunction experienced in old age. The Michaelis group was the first to show an age-dependent decline in the activity of this enzyme, now we are studying in greater details the mechanisms involved in this inhibition and the role of free radicals and oxidative stress.
Brain tissue appears to provide an avid enviroment for occurrence of free radical generation.
The production of oxygen derived species has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several human diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autoimmune diseases, strokes, ischemia and senile dementia. Normal aging is also associated with conditions of oxidative stress with a slow but consistent production of free radicals together with a decrease in antioxidant defenses which makes the aging brain more vulnerable to oxidation. It is well known that the aging process, at the cellular and molecular levels, is a risk factor for many pathological conditions, one of the worst being dementia such as the late onset form of Alzheimer's disease. Fatty acyl chain dynamics in aged synaptic membranes. ATPase against iron-induced inhibition.