Studies on oxidative stress induced nerve conduction deficits in cigarette smokers.

An important role of oxidative stress for the development of vascular and neurological complications has encouraged us to undertake a study to assess the oxidative stress induced nerve conduction deficits among cigarette smokers. Eighteen regular male cigarette smokers and twenty nine male non - smokers were diagnosed for clinical neuro-physiological tests viz ., motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (MNCV and SNCV) and redox status. Significant depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) level (p < 0.05) and significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level (p < 0.01) was found in smokers compared to non - smokers. Motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity showed no significant difference among smokers compared to non smokers. The present study shows that smoking can induce oxidative stress among smokers but could not exacerbate to nerve conduction deficits.