Toxic load: blue-green algae's role in motor neuron disease

Credit: Mark Sadowski/ The Conversation

http://theconversation.com/toxic-load-blue-green-algaes-role-in-motor-neuron-disease-16041 / scientist scientists exposure blue-green algae linked increased incidence neuro degenerative neurodegenerative diseases neuro-degenerative neuro degenerative reason link mystery research published journal PLOS ONE answer algal toxin BMAA long been associated increased incidence motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS hypothesis sceptics plausible mechanism theory team cell biologists ethnobotanists BMAA mimics mimic amino acid proteins protein L-Serine toxin amino acid body incorporates human proteins harmful low levels exposure BMAA over long periods ALS appears diagnosis death 3 years fruit bats Guam provided clues BMAA 40 years ago disease ethnobotanist Paul Cox jungles Pacific island Guam searching causes devastating neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Parkinson’s dementia like-complex ALS/PDC killed nearly half adult indigenous population Chamorros /