Hypoxia and brain aging: Neurodegeneration or neuroprotection?

The absolute reliance of the mammalian brain on oxygen to generate ATP renders it acutely vulnerable hypoxia, whether at high altitude or in clinical settings anemia pulmonary disease. Hypoxia is pivotal pathogeneses myriad neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Conversely, reduced environmental oxygen, e.g. sojourns residing altitudes, may impart favorable effects aging mortality. Moreover, controlled hypoxia exposure represent a treatment strategy for disorders. This review discusses evidence hypoxia’s beneficial vs. detrimental impacts molecular mechanisms that mediate these divergent effects. It draws upon an extensive literature search hypoxia/altitude aging, detailed analysis all identified studies directly comparing responses young aged humans rodents. Special attention directed toward risks benefits elderly, potential therapeutic applications Finally, important questions future research are discussed.