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Oxidative processes and lipid metabolism in young (3-4 months) and old (25-28 months) were studied. The increase of the rate of reactions of free radical oxidation of lipids (hydroperoxides, and malondialdehyde) and the accumulation of products of oxidative modification of proteins was recorded in mitochondrial fraction of rat brain. The accumulation of nitric oxide in the mitochondria and the oxidation products leads to the development of oxidative stress. Investigation of the lipid spectrum in old rat brains showed that aging was accompanied by a change in the qualitative and quantitative content of phospholipids. A change in the metabolism of neutral glycolipids leads to a decrease in the content of cerebrosides and sulfoserobrosides. At the same time an increase in sphingosine (a product of hidrolytic decomposition of neutral glycolipids) was observed. The key role of lipid metabolism in age pathologies was noticed.

The antioxidant activity of a newly synthesized compound, cysteine lithium salt, was discovered using methyl oleate oxidation model of dopaminergic system disorder. Experimental data show that injection of the synthesized compound in animals with experimentally induced L-DOPA brings to normalization effect conditioned by inhibiting free radical reactions in the nuclear and mitochondrial fractions of brain cells. Antioxidant effect of the synthesized compound is related to its chemical structure that contains cysteine--an agent involved in the biosynthesis of glutathione, which is a component of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase enzymes participating in the antiradical protection system.

It was shown that introduction of ethanolamine, phosphoethanolamine and phosphatidylethanolamine in a concentration of 0.05 mumol into the fraction of the brain mitochondria increased the endogenous respiration and the P/O value. In insulin hypoglycemia introduction of the mentioned substances led to a proportional increase in the level of respiration and nonorganic phosphorus; due to this energy provision remained at the level of the intact rat indices.

The level of the neutral and acid phospholipids and thromboplastic activity of various portions of the rabbit brain were studied under normal conditions and following adrenaline stimulation. The level of total phospholipids, neutral phospholipids, and the ratio of neutral to acid phospholipids, thromboplastic activity and its increase following incubation of homogenates of the brain tissue of normal and adrenaline-treated animals were found to be distributed in the following descending order: the medulla oblongata, cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres. Adrenaline decreased the thromboplastic activity and induced changes in the neutral and acid phospholipid levels. The role of phospholipids in the biosynthesis of various components of the blood clotting and anticoagulant systems are discussed.