Progress and Application of Ferroptosis Mechanisms in Neurological Diseases

Ferroptosis is a form of cell death triggered by intracellular lipid peroxidation or iron ion accumulation. Cells undergoing ferroptosis exhibit disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial swelling, and increased density of mitochondrial cristae. In neurological diseases, research has found that neurodegenerative diseases and cerebral ischemic injury can induce ferroptosis in neurons. Ferroptosis plays a significant role in neurological diseases. Recently, studies have discovered that ferroptosis inhibitors can improve neural function, although the specific regulatory network of ferroptosis remains unknown. In this review, we focus on several regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis, including the Xc- system regulation, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial involvement, and also discuss its applications in neurological diseases.