The unsolved mystery resurfaced in the PNAS cyanobacteria bloom study, which provides the first evidence for BMAA biomagnification in an aquatic food chain. After measuring BMAA levels in cyanobacteria blooms in the Baltic Sea and in the plankton, fish and mussels that feed on them, researchers from Stockholm University in Sweden concluded that, BMAA levels were six times higher in plankton and up to 200 times higher in some fish than in the blooms. 

But unlike Guam, the coastal regions surrounding the Baltic Sea are "not a hot spot for ALS or any neurodegenerative disease," says study lead author Sara Jonasson. And it's unknown whether the brains of fish analyzed, which reportedly contained BMAA levels up to 82 times higher than the fishes' muscles, showed evidence of neuronal damage. Jonasson says the elevated levels of BMAA found in fish from the Baltic Sea were still very low, and people should not be worried about eating seafood.

Neurologist Elijah Stommel of Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center has been investigating the link between cyanobacteria-produced BMAA and neurodegenerative disease from an epidemiological angle. "We've seen a number of ALS patients that seem to be living near water bodies that have known present or historical cyanobacteria blooms," he says. In a preliminary analysis published November 2009 in the journal Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, living near a bloom or the site of a former bloom more than doubled the risk of ALS.

Steele worries such studies will set off a great deal of needless public concern. "We need to reevaluate the whole hypothesis starting right back at the fruit bats of Guam," he says. He's calling for a consortium—a team of experts, including chemists skilled at detecting and quantifying BMAA, drawn from both camps—to settle the debate for good. "Guam is terribly important. If we can solve the puzzle on Guam, we might be able to better understand the cause and cure of neurodegenerative disease elsewhere."

4 Comments

1. 1. katesisco 10:15 AM 5/29/10

   pandora's locks by j alexander has detailed the results of foreign aquatic invaders; the quagga especially resulting consumption of phytoplankton depositing their excretia on the lake floor where it feeds Cladophora algae from the phosphorus. It has now spread to cover the benthic zone; the discovery in 2006 by scientists showed that the deadly microcystins were present in air even without an algae bloom present. Toxic cyanobacteria are here to stay.
   Perhaps the search for an introduced specie may be better able to explain the cyanobacteria spread in Guam.

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2. 2. ironjustice 04:41 PM 5/29/10

   One might wonder WHAT they DID eat NOW that the bats were all killed off ? DID? their meat intake / iron intake go DOWN?
   The Guam heavy metal connection has already been hypothesised (Mitchell J 2000) AND a human model of heavy metal induced ALS discovered. "Iron Overload Gene Possible ALS Risk Factor" "Iron chelator therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis"
   

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3. 3. Lou Sian 02:51 AM 5/30/10

   Lytigo bodig on Guam is a famous disease among neurologists. It's a tragic disease in which the patient slowly deteriorates, while his mind & spirit are intact. It's like being buried alive in a coffin with a small window to look out at the world. It's heartbreaking, and yet Guam has no adequate facilities or support community to help alleviate the suffering experienced by both the patient & his family caregivers. While researchers are trying to understand the cause of this disease, more research should be developed to try to ease the burden & suffering experienced by the patients & family caregivers. We need help!

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4. 4. SALJNL 02:21 AM 1/12/11

   Lytico-Bodig (ALS-PDC)has been found in Umatac, Guam, in Papua New Guinea and Honshu, Japan. The Flying Fox bats of Guam and Papua New Guinea and the Japanese Macaque all spend time at the limestone lakes and caves with moonmilk walls full of Tellurium. Tellurium is found in higher concentrations on the ocean floor, and where the ocean floor rises to the surface on volcanic islands. The bats are eaten by humans and the Macaque body parts are saved for worship in Honshu, Japan. Tellurium is stored in bone and some soft tissue. In the moonmilk is Cyanobacteria, Aspergillus, and Acinomycetes. Cyanobacteria have been linked to Alzheimer's and ALS. Aspergillus oryzae makes the L-Dopa medication so useful to Parkinsonians. Aspergillus terreus makes Lovastatin that "Unmasks Parkinson's Disease" making the symptoms worse in those with the disease. Fibronectin staining of Alzheimer Diseased Brains shows filamentous micro-organisms which may belong to actinomycetes PMID 1421118. Dr. Andrew J. Larner wrote Alzheimer's Disease, Kuf's Disease, Tellurium and Selenium in 1997. Probing Protein Stability with Non-Natural Amino Acids by Nediljko Budisa and Greta Pifat in 1997 describes Tellurium and protein misfolding. ALS-PDC or Lytico-Bodig disease has symptoms of ALS and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. All three diseases are protein misfolding diseases. I think if the moonmilk is tested in these three places one may find the Tellurite-resistant organisms responsible for Lytico Bodig Disease, as well as the reason for many other protein misfolding diseases.

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