Re: Re: Parkinsonism--an analog? (More)

[Guest guest]

There was a paper that came out recently entitled

" Can Low Level, Non-lethal Exposure to Ochratoxin-A Cause Parkinsonism? "

Here is the abstract:

Abstract

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites with pharmacological activities that have

been utilized in production of antibiotics, growth promoters, and other

classes of drugs.

Some mycotoxins have been developed as biological and chemical warfare

agents.

Bombs and ballistic missiles loaded with aflatoxin were stockpiled and may

have been

deployed by Iraq during the first Gulf War. In light of the excess incidence

of

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in veterans from Operation Desert Storm,

the

potential for delayed neurotoxic effects of low doses of mycotoxins should

not be

overlooked. Ochratoxin-A (OTA) is a common mycotoxin with complex mechanisms

of

action, similar to that of the aflatoxins. Acute administration of OTA at

non-lethal doses

(10% of the LD50) have been shown to increase oxidative DNA damage in brain

up to

72 hrs, with peak effects noted at 24 hrs in midbrain (MB), caudate/putamen

(CP) and

hippocampus (HP). Levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in the

striatum (e.g.,

CP) were shown to be decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The present study

focused on the effects of chronic low dose OTA exposure on regional brain

oxidative

stress and striatal DA metabolism. Continuous administration of low doses of

OTA with

implanted subcutaneous Alzet minimpumps caused a small but significant

decrease in

striatal DA levels and an upregulation of anti-oxidative systems and DNA

repair. It is

possible that low dose exposure to OTA will result in an earlier onset of

parkinsonism

when normal age-dependent decline in striatal DA levels are superimposed on

the

mycotoxin-induced lesion.