A study published last month in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society B,” links chronic exposure to an amino acid produced by blue-green algae and common in crabs and other seafood to an increased risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s’, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The study examined the effects of consuming foods with the amino acid known as BMAA and found it can lead to the development of “brain tangles” and protein deposits in the brains of monkeys.
The study, from the Institute of EthnoMedicine may be a first in understanding the relationship between BMAA and neurodegenerative diseases as well as the role of environmental factors. We’ll speak with the study’s lead author for a closer look at the findings and what they could indicate for seafood consumers and brain health.
Guest:
Paul Alan Cox, Ph.D., Ethnobotanist with the Institute for EthnoMedicine
