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35/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 35 out of 100. Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Plain-language summary

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon associated with imbalance between production of free radicals and reactive metabolites (e.g. superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) and the antioxidant defences. Oxidative stress in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has been associated with trisomy of the 21st chromosome resulting in DS phenotype as well as with various morphological abnormalities, immune disorders, intellectual disability, premature aging and other biochemical abnormalities. Trisomy 21 in patients with DS results in increased activity of an important antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) which gene is located on the 21st chromosome along with other proteins such as transcription factor Ets-2, stress inducing factors (DSCR1) and precursor of beta-amyloid protein responsible for the formation of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer disease. Mentioned proteins are involved in the management of mitochondrial function, thereby promoting mitochondrial theory of aging also in people with DS. In defence against toxic effects of free radicals and their metabolites organism has built antioxidant defence systems. Their lack and reduced function increases oxidative stress resulting in disruption of the structure of important biomolecules, such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. This leads to their dysfunctions affecting pathophysiology of organs and the whole organism. This paper examines the impact of antioxidant interventions as well as positive effect of physical exercise on cognitive and learning disabilities of individuals with DS. Potential therapeutic targets on the molecular level (oxidative stress markers, gene for DYRK1A, neutrophic factor BDNF) after intervention of natural polyphenols are also discussed.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Muchová, J., Žitňanová, I., & Ďuračková, Z. (2014). Oxidative stress and Down syndrome. Do antioxidants play a role in therapy? Physiological research. https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.932722

Vancouver

Muchová J, Žitňanová I, Ďuračková Z. Oxidative stress and Down syndrome. Do antioxidants play a role in therapy? Physiological research. 2014. doi:10.33549/physiolres.932722. PMID: 24908086.

BibTeX

@article{muchova2014-24908086,
  author  = {Muchová, J. and Žitňanová, I. and Ďuračková, Z.},
  title   = {{Oxidative stress and Down syndrome. Do antioxidants play a role in therapy?}},
  journal = {Physiological research},
  year    = {2014},
  doi     = {10.33549/physiolres.932722},
  pmid    = {24908086},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.932722}
}

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How to read this study

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Size: the record gives no participant count. Look for one in the original before trusting a pattern.
Effect: the record gives no effect size, so the summary above cannot say how large any difference was.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded low. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. Low means the abstract matched neither pattern. It is the default label, and it does not mean the work is poor; many sound lab and imaging papers land here. It can add at most 5 of the 100 points in the study score, and it is a label about design, not a verdict on whether the findings are true.

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Key findings

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon associated with imbalance between production of free radicals and reactive metabolites (e.g. superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) and the antioxidant defences.
Oxidative stress in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has been associated with trisomy of the 21st chromosome resulting in DS phenotype as well as with various morphological abnormalities, immune disorders, intellectual disability, premature aging and other biochemical abnormalities.
Trisomy 21 in patients with DS results in increased activity of an important antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) which gene is located on the 21st chromosome along with other proteins such as transcription factor Ets-2, stress inducing factors (DSCR1) and precursor of beta-amyloid protein responsible for the formation of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer disease.

Why it matters

This review links oxidative stress in Down syndrome to trisomy of chromosome 21 and increased superoxide dismutase activity, and discusses whether antioxidants might play a role in therapy. It presents no trial results, so whether antioxidants help patients is not established.

Study details

Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 35/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Physiological research)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Physiological Research: journal h-index 96 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	1 / 5	2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	4 / 7	Cited 60 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	4.3 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 5.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	1 / 6	Cited by 1 other studies in this library
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Zdeňka Ďuračková: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Comenius University Bratislava: institution h-index 402 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	0 / 3	OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete)
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24908086)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	35 / 100	—

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