Relationship of a degenerative tropical neuropathy to diet: report of a field survey.
A survey of neurological abnormalities in two Nigerian villages preselected for their differing consumption of cassava has shown that a degenerative neuropathy occurs with relatively high frequency in the village (Ososa) where cassava consumption was high.It is suggested that eating cassava results in exposure to cyanide, as shown by a raised plasma thiocyanate level, and that the latter, together with other factors, may contribute to the pathogenesis of "tropical neuropathy."
D001681:Biological Assay; D003486:Cyanides / Q000506:poisoning; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D002365:Manihot; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009549:Nigeria; D012907:Smoking; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000097:blood; D014330:Tropical Medicine; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D003486:Cyanides; D013861:Thiocyanates; D014805:Vitamin B 12