Lack of beta-methylamino-l-alanine in brain from controls, AD, or Chamorros with PDC

Neurology. 2005 Sep 13;65(5):768-9. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000174523.62022.52.

Abstract

High levels of beta-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA), a putative neurotoxin, have been reported in brain samples from Chamorros and patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) from western Canada. The authors assayed free BMAA in the brains of five control subjects and five patients with AD from the US Pacific Northwest as well as Chamorros with and without Parkinson-dementia complex. In contrast to others, they detected no free BMAA in any of these samples.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / chemically induced
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Amino Acids, Diamino / analysis
  • Amino Acids, Diamino / metabolism*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / chemically induced
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / metabolism*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / physiopathology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Brain Chemistry / physiology
  • Canada
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Female
  • Guam
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / chemically induced
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / metabolism*
  • Parkinsonian Disorders / physiopathology
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Diamino
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine