Ahmed Adel Mansour KAMAR¹*, Alin-Stelian CIOBÎCĂ3, Ioannis MAVROUDIS4, Manuela PĂDURARIU²
Abstract. Vibration-induced neurodegeneration represents a growing research focus linking mechanical stress to oxidative and cellular injury. The zebrafish (Danio rerio), with its close genetic homology to humans and well-characterized nervous system, provides an ethically and experimentally efficient vertebrate model for exploring these mechanisms. This review integrates molecular biology findings with ethical considerations to improve the study design and translational value of vibration-related neurodegeneration research. At the molecular level, vibration exposure in zebrafish activates oxidative stress pathways characterized by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and modulation of key antioxidant enzymes—superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). These biomarkers provide measurable endpoints reflecting lipid peroxidation and redox imbalance. Integrating such molecular precision with ethical responsibility—guided by the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (3Rs)—ensures that zebrafish studies maintain both scientific rigor and humane standards. By uniting ethical frameworks with biochemical insight, this approach refines experimental vibration research and strengthens the translational bridge toward understanding human neurodegenerative disorders.
Keywords: zebrafish, oxidative stress, SOD, CAT, GPx, MDA, vibration exposure, neurodegeneration, bioethics.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscibio.2025.2.207
¹ Medical Department Head, MD Orthopedics Specialist, GUPCO – Cairo office, Egypt; Medical Resident, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Spitalul Clinic de Recuperare, Iaşi, Romania; PhD Candidate, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Romania
2 MD, „Socola” Psychiatry Institute, Iaşi, Romania
3 Professor, PhD, Department of Research in Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University; “Ioan Hăulică” Institute, “Apollonia” University of Iaşi, Romania
4 Professor, MD, PhD, FRCP, MRCP Consultant Neurologist, Leeds teaching Hospitals, University of Leeds, UK, Expert in neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, and translational neuroscience, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece
* Corresponding author e-mail: ahmed81kamar@gmail.com
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Biological Sciences, Volume 14 no 2, 2025