Dietary iron is essential for health as it plays important roles in the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body and brain. In addition, iron is involved in various functions in cells including the generation of ATP in mitochondria and DNA synthesis. The vast majority of iron is bound to proteins such as ferritin and heme. However, in its ionic form (Fe2+) iron can react with the hydrogen peroxide produced from mitochondrial superoxide radical to generate the highly toxic hydroxyl radical. Hydroxyl radical damages DNA and can also act on the carbon=carbon double bonds in unsaturated member lipids and trigger an autocatalytic process called lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation in neurons occurs in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and may play a major role in the death of neurons in these disorders a process called ‘ferroptosis’. In this episode I talk with Scott Ayton a Professor at the Florey Institute at the University of Melbourne about both the normal functions of iron in neurons, its involvement in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and the potential of interventions that prevent ferroptosis in the treatment of these disorders.

LINKS

Professor Aytons profile at the Florey Institute:

https://florey.edu.au/researcher/scott-ayton/

Relevant articles

file:///Users/markmattson/Downloads/s41583-025-00930-5%20(1).pdf

https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1196/annals.1306.004?saml_referrer

https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2209254

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2825846