Cycad neurotoxins, consumption of flying foxes, and ALS-PDC disease in Guam.
The Chamorro people of Guam have been afflicted with a complex of neurodegenerative diseases (now known as ALS-PDC) with similarities to ALS, AD, and PD at a far higher rate than other populations throughout the world. Chamorro consumption of flying foxes may have generated sufficiently high cumulative doses of plant neurotoxins to result in ALS-PDC neuropathologies, since the flying foxes forage on neurotoxic cycad seeds.
Cox
Paul Alan
PA
Institute for Ethnobotany, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalaheo, Kauai, HI 96741, USA.
Sacks
Oliver W
OW
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000009:adverse effects; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D029784:Cycas / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003492:Cycasin / Q000009:adverse effects; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006141:Guam / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced; D010947:Plants, Toxic / Q000009:adverse effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000009:adverse effects
D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; D003492:Cycasin