Mathematical and computational modeling of the role of homocysteine in the oxidative process and its influence in neuronal degenerative diseases

Abstract

Degenerative neurological diseases, although common in the population, are difficult to diagnose. However, it is known that most of them are directly related to the so-called oxidative stress. Understanding and evaluating how this process takes place is of great interest and, in this sense, this work extends the existing mathematical and computational models for the oxidative stress process (REIS, 2005; REIS et al., 2006; VIANNA, 2005; VIANNA; REIS; CARVALHO, 2012), incorporating an aspect not previously evaluated, the influence of homocysteine indices on the oxidants present in this process. The results indicate that hyperhomocysteinemia can in fact cause oxidative stress and consequent neuronal death, leading to the appearance of neurodegenerative diseases.