Blue-green algae a suspect in Motor-Neurone Disease cases

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) causes progressive muscle weakness and eventually complete paralysis. The number of deaths in Australia from MND has more than doubled in the past 30 years — an increase some neuroscientists say cannot be explained by an ageing population or advances in diagnoses alone. Some scientists believe the reason behind the big increase in these sporadic cases could be environmental, and they are investigating a range of potential factors, including pesticides and heavy metals.

One theory is that a toxin produced by blue-green algae called Beta-N-Methylamino-L-Anine (BMAA) might be a trigger for the disease. Rachael Dunlop, a senior research fellow with Brain Chemistry Labs in Wyoming in the United States, said international research shows a correlation. "There are studies now showing that people that live beside lakes and rivers where there are frequent algal blooms, cyanobacterial blooms, have an increased risk of contracting motor neurone disease," she said.

The prevalence of MND in Griffith, in the New South Wales Riverina region, is estimated to be about five times the national average. The town is close to Lake Wyangan, which is prone to blue-green algal blooms. The area has become a focus for scientists looking into whether the neurotoxin could be playing a role in triggering MND.

Read the full text of the article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-09/research-to-explore-blue-green-algae-and-motor-neurone-disease/11946856.