Zinc causes loss of membrane potential and alters production of reactive oxygen species in isolated brain mitochondria

Excessive accumulation of intracellular free zinc is lethal to neurons. The precise mechanism by which zinc kills neurons remains unclear, however, a number of reports suggest that zinc may impair neuronal metabolism. The present study examined how zinc affects the activity of isolated rat brain mitochondria. Using spectrofluorometry and polarography, we determined the effects of zinc on mitochond…