title: Lathyrism: evidence for role of the neuroexcitatory aminoacid BOAA.
abstract: Lathyrism, a form of motoneuron disease induced by excessive consumption of th legume Lathyrus sativus (chickling pea), presents as signs of pyramidal tract involvement. Primate feeding studies show that beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA), a potent neuroexcitatory aminoacid in the chickling pea, induces corticospinal dysfunction similar to that seen in animals consuming a fortified diet of this legume. BOAA, a potent agonist of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, is likely to be causally associated with lathyrism in man.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007842:Lathyrism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D015091:beta-Alanine; C100126:oxalyldiaminopropionic acid; D000409:Alanine