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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBeached East Coast Dolphins Show Signs of Alzheimer's Disease
Could the toxins in our oceans blue-green algae bloomswhich have been increasing due to global warmingbe a cause of Alzheimers disease?
University of Miami researchers who examined the brains of dolphins that had beached themselves in Massachusetts and Florida have published a new study that ponders this question. (No dolphins were killed for the study, thank goodness.)
Of the 14 dolphin brains they studied, 13 contained plaques of the protein beta amyloid, which has also been found in the brains of humans who died of Alzheimers disease. The dolphins brains also contained high levels of the algae toxin BMAA.
The researchers found that ongoing exposure to BMAA can lead to Alzheimers-like abnormal protein accumulations, called neurofibrillary tangles, in the brains of dolphins. These tangles cause brain cells to stop functioning and eventually die. The researchers are now looking into whether BMAA causes or accelerates these tangles.
https://www.care2.com/causes/beached-east-coast-dolphins-show-signs-of-alzheimers-disease.html
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Beached East Coast Dolphins Show Signs of Alzheimer's Disease (Original Post)
Bayard
Apr 2019
OP
lillypaddle
(9,580 posts)1. K&R nt
Duppers
(28,125 posts)2. Yikes! 😵
Excellent article.
Troubles me a bit because I live on a small lake that has such algae blooms. The article suggested that some of the toxins could become airborne. "A study last year discovered that toxins from algae blooms can also become airborne and be inhaled."
Cetacea
(7,367 posts)3. At least 150 dolphins died in the 2018 bloom (a tragically high number)
I wonder, what percentage of them had it? Thirteen out of fourteen tested positive is astonishing.