The Promising Role of Selenium and Yeast in the Fight Against Protein Amyloidosis

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to research on diseases related to the deposition of misfolded proteins (amyloids) in various organs. Moreover, modern scientists emphasise the importance of selenium as a bioelement necessary for the proper functioning of living organisms. The inorganic form of selenium-sodium selenite (redox-active)-can prevent the formation of an insoluble polymer in proteins. It is very important to undertake tasks aimed at understanding the mechanisms of action of this element in inhibiting the formation of various types of amyloid. Furthermore, yeast cells play an important role in this matter as a eukaryotic model organism, which is intensively used in molecular research on protein amyloidosis. Due to the lack of appropriate treatment in the general population, the problem of amyloidosis remains unsolved. This extracellular accumulation of amyloid is one of the main factors responsible for the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease. The review presented here contains scientific information discussing a brief description of the possibility of amyloid formation in cells and the use of selenium as a factor preventing the formation of these protein aggregates. Recent studies have shown that the yeast model can be successfully used as a eukaryotic organism in biotechnological research aimed at understanding the essence of the entire amyloidosis process. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the reaction of yeast to selenium and the phenomenon of amyloidosis is important in the aetiology and pathogenesis of various disease states. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further research and analysis aimed at explaining and confirming the role of selenium in the processes of protein misfolding disorders. The rest of the article discusses the characteristics of food protein amyloidosis and their use in the food industry. During such tests, their toxicity is checked because not all food proteins can produce amyloid that is toxic to cells. It should also be noted that a moderate diet is beneficial for the corresponding disease relief caused by amyloidosis.

The Role of Gut Microbiota in the Neuroprotective Effects of Selenium in Alzheimer's Disease

The objective of the present review was to provide a timely update on the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial role of Se in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, and discuss the potential role of gut microbiota modulation in this neuroprotective effect. The existing data demonstrate that selenoproteins P, M, S, R, as well as glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin reductases are involved in regulation of Aβ formation and aggregation, tau phosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangles formation, as well as mitigate the neurotoxic effects of Aβ and phospho-tau. Correspondingly, supplementation with various forms of Se in cellular and animal models of AD was shown to reduce Aβ formation, tau phosphorylation, reverse the decline in brain antioxidant levels, inhibit neuronal oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine production, improve synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, altogether resulting in improved cognitive functions. In addition, most recent findings demonstrate that these neuroprotective effects are associated with Se-induced modulation of gut microbiota. In animal models of AD, Se supplementation was shown to improve gut microbiota biodiversity with a trend to increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Desulfivibrio, while reducing that of Lachnospiracea_NK4A136, Rikenella, and Helicobacter. Moreover, the relative abundance of Se-affected taxa was significantly associated with Aβ accumulation, tau phosphorylation, neuronal oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, indicative of the potential role of gut microbiota to mediate the neuroprotective effects of Se in AD. Hypothetically, modulation of gut microbiota along with Se supplementation may improve the efficiency of the latter in AD, although further detailed laboratory and clinical studies are required.

Dietary selenium intake, hypertension and cognitive function among US adults, NHANES 2011-2014

Dietary selenium intake and hypertension were associated with cognitive function, but it was limitedly understood whether the effect of selenium intake on cognitive function in older adults was modified by hypertension status. A total of 2416 participants aged ≥ 60 years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2011-2014 were involved in this study. Selenium intake from foods was estimated using two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. Blood pressure was measured by trained personnel or physicians at a mobile testing center. Cognitive function was measured by Registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD), the Animal Fluency test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Among 2,416 participants, we found that higher dietary intake of selenium was associated with higher score on most tests (CERAD: Total Score: P for trend = 0.01; AFT: P for trend = 0.01; DSST: P for trend = 0.02) and hypertension was associated with lower score on each test (CEARD: Total Score (β = - 0.87, P = 0.03), CERAD: Delayed Recall Score (β = - 0.37, P = 0.04), AFT (β = - 0.88, P = 0.03), and DSST (β = - 2.72, P = 0.02). The interaction of hypertension status and dietary selenium intake on CERAD-immediate (P for interaction = 0.02) and DSST (P for interaction = 0.04) were statistical significance. In addition, hypertension did not mediate the association between dietary selenium intake and the four dimensions of cognition. The findings suggest that in older adults with hypertension, higher dietary selenium intake is associated with improved cognitive function, implying a potential nutritional strategy for preventing cognitive impairment in this population.

Potential prognostic value of CSF-targeted proteomics across the Alzheimer's disease continuum

BACKGROUND

Core biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as Aβ42 and tau, have demonstrated high prognostic accuracy but do not fully capture the complex pathophysiology of AD. In this study, our objective was to identify novel cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers using proteomics across the entire AD continuum to predict conversion to AD and explore their involvement in AD pathogenesis.

METHODS

A cohort of 186 cognitively normal (CN), 127 subjective memory complaint (SMC), 79 early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), 249 late MCI (LMCI), and 132 AD individuals was analyzed, with a follow-up period of over 3 years for non-AD participants. CSF 65 peptides, as well as hippocampal and entorhinal volumes were analyzed, and cognitive function was evaluated using the 13-item cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog 13). Cox proportional hazards models and mediation analysis were performed to investigate associations and causal relationships.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, approximately one-fourth (146/580) of the non-AD participants progressed to AD. After adjusting for baseline diagnosis (CN to LMCI) and other variables, multivariable Cox regression analysis identified three peptides (VAELEDEK, VSFELFADK, and VVSSIEQK) as significant predictors of conversion to AD. Incorporating these three peptides into the initial model significantly improved the C-statistic from 0.82 to 0.85 for predicting AD conversion, surpassing the predictive ability of Aβ42 and P-tau. Moreover, hippocampal and entorhinal volumes mediated 30.3-53.8% of the association between the three peptides and ADAS-Cog 13 scores.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the potential of these three peptides as robust prognostic biomarker candidates for AD conversion across the entire AD continuum, with a mechanism involving the mediation of hippocampal and entorhinal volumes.

Current understanding and future directions of cruciferous vegetables and their phytochemicals to combat neurological diseases

Neurological disorders incidences are increasing drastically due to complex pathophysiology, and the nonavailability of disease-modifying agents. Several attempts have been made to identify new potential chemicals to combat these neurological abnormalities. At present, complete abolishment of neurological diseases is not attainable except for symptomatic relief. However, dietary recommendations to help brain development or improvement have increased over the years. In recent times, cruciferous vegetables and their phytochemicals have been identified from preclinical and clinical investigations as potential neuroprotective agents. The present review highlights the beneficial effects and molecular mechanisms of phytochemicals such as indole-3-carbinol, diindolylmethane, sulforaphane, kaempferol, selenium, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins of cruciferous vegetables against neurological diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Huntington's disease, autism spectra disorders, anxiety, depression, and pain. Most of these cruciferous phytochemicals protect the brain by eliciting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. Regular dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables may benefit the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. The present review suggests that there is a lacuna in identifying the clinical efficacy of these phytochemicals. Therefore, high-quality future studies should firmly establish the efficacy of the above-mentioned cruciferous phytochemicals in clinical settings.

Targeting Metals in Alzheimer's Disease: An Update

One pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the dysregulated metal ions, e.g., zinc, copper, and iron in the affected brain regions. The dysregulation of metal homeostasis may cause neurotoxicity and directly addressing these dysregulated metals through metal chelation or mitigating the downstream neurotoxicity stands as a pivotal strategy for AD therapy. This review aims to provide an up-to-date comprehensive overview of the application of metal chelators and drugs targeting metal-related neurotoxicity, such as antioxidants (ferroptotic inhibitors), in the context of AD treatment. It encompasses an exploration of their pharmacological effects, clinical research progress, and potential underlying mechanisms.

Selenium-Enriched Soy Protein Has Antioxidant Potential via Modulation of the NRF2-HO1 Signaling Pathway

Selenium (Se)-enriched proteins are an important dietary source of Se for humans; however, only a few Se-enriched proteins have been identified. In the present study, we tested for potential antioxidant activity by Se-enriched soy protein, both in vitro and in vivo. Se-enriched soy protein isolate (S-SPI) was shown to have a higher free radical scavenging ability compared to ordinary soy protein isolate (O-SPI). Furthermore, Caco-2 cell viability was improved by S-SPI at low doses, whereas O-SPI did not. In addition, S-SPI was shown to inhibit oxidative stress via modulation of the NRF2-HO1 signaling pathway, upregulating the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (GPx, SOD). To further study the antioxidant capacity of S-SPI, BALB/c female mice were given oral gavages with 0.8 mL of S-SPI or O-SPI (5 g/kg/d, 20 g/kg/d and 40 g/kg/d) or saline as control. Hepatic GPx and SOD activity increased with increasing S-SPI dosage, but not with O-SPI. Taken together, our results suggest that Se-enriched soy protein has a high antioxidant ability and may be used as a dietary supplement for people with oxidative dam-age-mediated diseases.

Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A participates in the selenium transport into the rat brain

Selenium, an essential micronutrient, plays vital roles in the brain. Selenoprotein P (SELENOP), a major plasma selenoprotein, is thought to transport selenium to the brain. However, Selenop-knockout mice fed a diet containing an adequate amount of selenium shows no objective neurological dysfunction which is observed in the selenium-deficient diet-fed Selenop-knockout mice. This fact indicated that selenium from low-mass selenium-source compounds can be transported by SELENOP-independent alternative pathways to the brain. In this study, to obtain the basic information about the SELENOP-independent transport pathways, we performed ex vivo experiments in which the rat brain cell membrane fraction was analyzed to find selenium-binding and/or -interactive proteins using its reactive metabolic intermediate, selenotrisulfide (STS), and MALDI TOF-mass spectrometry. Several membrane proteins with the cysteine (C) thiol were found to be reactive with STS through the thiol-exchange reaction. One of the C-containing proteins in the brain cell membrane fraction was identified as peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) A from tryptic fragmentation experiments and database search. Among the 4 C residues in rat PPIase A, 21st C was proved to react with STS by assessment using C mutated recombinant proteins. PPIase A is ubiquitously expressed and also associates with a variety of biologically important events such as immunomodulation, intracellular signaling, transcriptional regulation and protein trafficking. Consequently, PPIase A was thought to participate in the selenium transport into the rat brain.

DHA and Its Elaborated Modulation of Antioxidant Defenses of the Brain: Implications in Aging and AD Neurodegeneration

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is perhaps the most pleiotropic molecule in nerve cell biology. This long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid has evolved to accomplish essential functions ranging from structural components allowing fast events in nerve cell membrane physiology to regulation of neurogenesis and synaptic function. Strikingly, the plethora of DHA effects has to take place within the hostile pro-oxidant environment of the brain parenchyma, which might suggest a molecular suicide. In order to circumvent this paradox, different molecular strategies have evolved during the evolution of brain cells to preserve DHA and to minimize the deleterious effects of its oxidation. In this context, DHA has emerged as a member of the “indirect antioxidants” family, the redox effects of which are not due to direct redox interactions with reactive species, but to modulation of gene expression within thioredoxin and glutathione antioxidant systems and related pathways. Weakening or deregulation of these self-protecting defenses orchestrated by DHA is associated with normal aging but also, more worryingly, with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present review, we elaborate on the essential functions of DHA in the brain, including its role as indirect antioxidant, the selenium connection for proper antioxidant function and their changes during normal aging and in Alzheimer’s disease.

The essential elements of Alzheimer's disease

Treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) directed against the prominent amyloid plaque neuropathology are yet to be proved effective despite many phase 3 clinical trials. There are several other neurochemical abnormalities that occur in the AD brain that warrant renewed emphasis as potential therapeutic targets for this disease. Among those are the elementomic signatures of iron, copper, zinc, and selenium. Here, we review these essential elements of AD for their broad potential to contribute to Alzheimer’s pathophysiology, and we also highlight more recent attempts to translate these findings into therapeutics. A reinspection of large bodies of discovery in the AD field, such as this, may inspire new thinking about pathogenesis and therapeutic targets.

Neuroprotective Effect of Antioxidants in the Brain

The brain is vulnerable to excessive oxidative insults because of its abundant lipid content, high energy requirements, and weak antioxidant capacity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase susceptibility to neuronal damage and functional deficits, via oxidative changes in the brain in neurodegenerative diseases. Overabundance and abnormal levels of ROS and/or overload of metals are regulated by cellular defense mechanisms, intracellular signaling, and physiological functions of antioxidants in the brain. Single and/or complex antioxidant compounds targeting oxidative stress, redox metals, and neuronal cell death have been evaluated in multiple preclinical and clinical trials as a complementary therapeutic strategy for combating oxidative stress associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we present a general analysis and overview of various antioxidants and suggest potential courses of antioxidant treatments for the neuroprotection of the brain from oxidative injury. This review focuses on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms in the brain and examines the relative advantages and methodological concerns when assessing antioxidant compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Multi-Target Drug Candidates for Multifactorial Alzheimer's Disease: AChE and NMDAR as Molecular Targets

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of dementia among elder people, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results from a chronic loss of cognitive activities. It has been observed that AD is multifactorial, hence diverse pharmacological targets that could be followed for the treatment of AD. The Food and Drug Administration has approved two types of medications for AD treatment such as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) antagonists. Rivastigmine, donepezil, and galantamine are the ChEIs that have been approved to treat AD. On the other hand, memantine is the only non-competitive NMDAR antagonist approved in AD treatment. As compared with placebo, it has been revealed through clinical studies that many single-target therapies are unsuccessful to treat multifactorial Alzheimer's symptoms or disease progression. Therefore, due to the complex nature of AD pathophysiology, diverse pharmacological targets can be hunted. In this article, based on the entwined link of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and NMDAR, we represent several multifunctional compounds in the rational design of new potential AD medications. This review focus on the significance of privileged scaffolds in the generation of the multi-target lead compound for treating AD, investigating the idea and challenges of multi-target drug design. Furthermore, the most auspicious elementary units for designing as well as synthesizing hybrid drugs are demonstrated as pharmacological probes in the rational design of new potential AD therapeutics.

Apolipoprotein E-mediated regulation of selenoprotein P transportation via exosomes

Selenoprotein P (SELENOP), secreted from the liver, functions as a selenium (Se) supplier to other tissues. In the brain, Se homeostasis is critical for physiological function. Previous studies have reported that SELENOP co-localizes with the apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2) along the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, the mechanism underlying SELENOP transportation from hepatocytes to neuronal cells remains unclear. Here, we found that SELENOP was secreted from hepatocytes as an exosomal component protected from plasma kallikrein-mediated cleavage. SELENOP was interacted with apolipoprotein E (ApoE) through heparin-binding sites of SELENOP, and the interaction regulated the secretion of exosomal SELENOP. Using in vitro BBB model of transwell cell culture, exosomal SELENOP was found to supply Se to brain endothelial cells and neuronal cells, which synthesized selenoproteins by a process regulated by ApoE and ApoER2. The regulatory role of ApoE in SELENOP transport was also observed in vivo using ApoE-/- mice. Exosomal SELENOP transport protected neuronal cells from amyloid β (Aβ)-induced cell death. Taken together, our results suggest a new delivery mechanism for Se to neuronal cells by exosomal SELENOP.

Role of Resveratrol and Selenium on Oxidative Stress and Expression of Antioxidant and Anti-Aging Genes in Immortalized Lymphocytes from Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Oxidative damage is involved in the pathophysiology of age-related ailments, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have shown that the brain tissue and also lymphocytes from AD patients present increased oxidative stress compared to healthy controls (HCs). Here, we use lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from AD patients and HCs to investigate the role of resveratrol (RV) and selenium (Se) in the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated after an oxidative injury. We also studied whether these compounds elicited expression changes in genes involved in the antioxidant cell response and other aging-related mechanisms. AD LCLs showed higher ROS levels than those from HCs in response to H2O2 and FeSO4 oxidative insults. RV triggered a protective response against ROS under control and oxidizing conditions, whereas Se exerted antioxidant effects only in AD LCLs under oxidizing conditions. RV increased the expression of genes encoding known antioxidants (catalase, copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione S-transferase zeta 1) and anti-aging factors (sirtuin 1 and sirtuin 3) in both AD and HC LCLs. Our findings support RV as a candidate for inducing resilience and protection against AD, and reinforce the value of LCLs as a feasible peripheral cell model for understanding the protective mechanisms of nutraceuticals against oxidative stress in aging and AD.

Sodium selenite protects from 3-nitropropionic acid-induced oxidative stress in cultured primary cortical neurons

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans; its intake is needed to allow the proper synthesis of 25 different selenoproteins that are necessary to the normal functioning of several organs, including the brain. Accordingly, decreased Se levels have been associated with neurological disorders. In the present study, we investigated the potential beneficial effects of Se, as sodium selenite, against 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced oxidative stress in primary cultures of mouse cortical neurons. 3-NP treatment caused a significant decrease in cellular viability, which was accompanied by decreases in mitochondrial complex II activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) content, as well as increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels. Sodium selenite pretreatment (6 days) attenuated 3-NP-induced decrease in cell viability. In addition, sodium selenite pretreatment significantly protected against 3-NP-induced increase in ROS generation and decrease in GSH/GSSG ratio. Of note, sodium selenite pretreatment did not change 3-NP-induced decrease of mitochondrial complex II activity, suggesting that Se modulates secondary events resultant from 3-NP-induced mitochondrial dyshomeostasis. In addition, sodium selenite pretreatment significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Our data provide insights into the mechanism of protection by sodium selenite, which is related, at least in part, to GPx induction.

Selenoprotein S Reduces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Phosphorylation of Tau: Potential Role in Selenate Mitigation of Tau Pathology

Previous studies demonstrated that selenium in the form of sodium selenate reduces neurofibrillary tangle formation in Alzheimer's disease models. Hyperphosphorylation of tau, which leads to formation of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease, is increased by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Selenoprotein S (SelS) is part of an ER membrane complex that removes misfolded proteins from the ER as a means to reduce ER stress. Selenate, as with other forms of selenium, will increase selenoprotein expression. We therefore proposed that increased SelS expression by selenate would contribute to the beneficial actions of selenate in Alzheimer's disease. SelS expression increased with ER stress and decreased under conditions of elevated glucose concentrations in the SH-SY5Y neuronal cell line. Reducing expression of SelS with siRNA promoted cell death in response to ER stress. Selenate increased SelS expression, which significantly correlated with decreased tau phosphorylation. Restricting SelS expression during ER stress conditions increased tau phosphorylation, and also promoted aggregation of phosphorylated tau in neurites and soma. In human postmortem brain, SelS expression coincided with neurofibrillary tangles, but not with amyloid-β plaques. These results indicate that selenate can alter phosphorylation of tau by increasing expression of SelS in Alzheimer's disease and potentially other neurodegenerative disorders.

Effects of nutrient and bioactive food components on Alzheimer's disease and epigenetic

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly and is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that is becoming widespread. For this reason, in recent years factors affecting the development, progression and cognitive function of the AD have been emphasized. Nutrients and other bioactive nutrients are among the factors that are effective in AD. In particular, vitamins A, C and E, vitamins B₁, B₆ and B₁₂, folate, magnesium, choline, inositol, anthocyanins, isoflavones etc. nutrients and bioactive nutrients are known to be effective in the development of AD. Nutrients and nutrient components may also have an epigenetic effect on AD. At the same time, nutrients and bioactive food components slow down the progression of the disease. For this reason, the effect of nutrients and food components on AD was examined in this review.

Sodium selenate regulates the brain ionome in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Many studies have shown that imbalance of mineral metabolism may play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. It was recently reported that selenium could reverse memory deficits in AD mouse model. We carried out multi-time-point ionome analysis to investigate the interactions among 15 elements in the brain by using a triple-transgenic mouse model of AD with/without high-dose sodium selenate supplementation. Except selenium, the majority of significantly changed elements showed a reduced level after 6-month selenate supplementation, especially iron whose levels were completely reversed to normal state at almost all examined time points. We then built the elemental correlation network for each time point. Significant and specific elemental correlations and correlation changes were identified, implying a highly complex and dynamic crosstalk between selenium and other elements during long-term supplementation with selenate. Finally, we measured the activities of two important anti-oxidative selenoenzymes, glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, and found that they were remarkably increased in the cerebrum of selenate-treated mice, suggesting that selenoenzyme-mediated protection against oxidative stress might also be involved in the therapeutic effect of selenate in AD. Overall, this study should contribute to our understanding of the mechanism related to the potential use of selenate in AD treatment.

Selenomethionine reduces the deposition of beta-amyloid plaques by modulating β-secretase and enhancing selenoenzymatic activity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Effects on Aβ production and the probable connection among selenoenzymes, GSK3β and Aβ pathology by selenomethionine treatment in AD mice.

Importance of selenium and selenoprotein for brain function: From antioxidant protection to neuronal signalling

Multiple biological functions of selenium manifest themselves mainly via 25 selenoproteins that have selenocysteine at their active centre. Selenium is vital for the brain and seems to participate in the pathology of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy. Since selenium was shown to be involved in diverse functions of the central nervous system, such as motor performance, coordination, memory and cognition, a possible role of selenium and selenoproteins in brain signalling pathways may be assumed. The aim of the present review is to analyse possible relations between selenium and neurotransmission. Selenoproteins seem to be of special importance in the development and functioning of GABAergic (GABA, γ-aminobutyric acid) parvalbumin positive interneurons of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Dopamine pathway might be also selenium dependent as selenium shows neuroprotection in the nigrostriatal pathway and also exerts toxicity towards dopaminergic neurons under higher concentrations. Recent findings also point to acetylcholine neurotransmission involvement. The role of selenium and selenoproteins in neurotransmission might not only be limited to their antioxidant properties but also to inflammation, influencing protein phosphorylation and ion channels, alteration of calcium homeostasis and brain cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, a direct signalling function was proposed for selenoprotein P through interaction with post-synaptic apoliprotein E receptors 2 (ApoER2).

Selenium, selenoproteins and neurodegenerative diseases

A review of selenium's essential role in normal brain function and its potential involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.

Selenium and selenoprotein function in brain disorders

Selenoproteins are important for normal brain function, and decreased function of selenoproteins can lead to impaired cognitive function and neurological disorders. This review examines the possible roles of selenoproteins in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and epilepsy. Selenium deficiency is associated with cognitive decline, and selenoproteins may be helpful in preventing neurodegeneration in AD. PD is associated with impaired function of glutathione peroxidase selenoenzymes. In HD, selenium deters lipid peroxidation by increasing specific glutathione peroxidases. Selenium deficiency increases risk of seizures in epilepsy, whereas supplementation may help to alleviate seizures. Further studies on the mechanisms of selenoprotein function will increase our understanding of how selenium and selenoproteins can be used in treatment and prevention of brain disorders.