Influence of intensive multifunctional neurorehabilitation on neuronal oxidative damage in patients with Huntington’s disease

Influence of multifunctional intensive neurorehabilitation on serum levels of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), as markers of oxidative damage, was evaluated in symptomatic patients with Huntington’s disease (HD). Improved clinical outcome measures were observed after neurorehabilitation. Baseline levels of Cu/Zn-SOD, NSE and 8-OHdG were higher than those observed in controls. Cu/Zn-SOD and NSE values decreased after neurorehabilitation, but were still higher than those measured in controls. Cu/Zn-SOD and NSE correlated positively before (r=0.659; P=0.003) and after rehabilitation (r=0.553, P=0.017). 8-OHdG values decreased after neurorehabilitation without being significant when compared with baseline values (P=0.145). No correlation was observed between the measured oxidative markers and the assessed clinical outcome measures before and after neurorehabilitation. Findings of the present paper provide evidence of the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation on reducing oxidative damage in HD patients and underline the limit of serum oxidative markers for evaluation of HD clinical aspects.