Page "Lesch–Nyhan syndrome" Paragraph 40

Similarly, uric acid does not penetrate the blood – brain barrier well.

However, oxidative stress due to uric acid is now thought to figure in metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, and stroke, all syndromes associated with high uric acid levels.

Similarly, Superoxide dismutase ( " SOD " ) and SOD-mimetics such as TEMPOL ameliorate the effects of hyperuricemia.

Likewise, 6-hydroxydopamine ( the putative animal model for Lesch-Nyhan's neuropathy ) apparently acts as a neurotoxin by generation of active oxygen species.

It may be that oxidative stress induced by some other oxypurine such as xanthine causes the disease.

See Barrasco et al.

above.