Brain Iron Metabolism and CNS Diseases

Iron is the most abundant trace element in the human body. It is well known that iron is an important component of hemoglobin involved in the transport of oxygen. As a component of various enzymes, it participates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Iron in the nervous system is also involved in the metabolism of catecholamine neurotransmitters and is involved in the formation of myelin. Therefore, iron metabolism needs to be strictly regulated. Previous studies have shown that iron deficiency in the brain during infants and young children causes mental retardation, such as delayed development of language and body balance, and psychomotor disorders. However, if the iron is excessively deposited in the aged brain, it is closely related to the occurrence of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Friedreich’s ataxia. Therefore, it is important to fully study and understand the mechanism of brain iron metabolism and its regulation. On this basis, exploring the relationship between brain iron regulation and the occurrence of nervous system diseases and discovering new therapeutic targets related to iron metabolism have important significance for breaking through the limitation of prevention and treatment of nervous system diseases. This review discusses the complete research history of iron and its significant role in the pathogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) diseases.