Consumption of unregulated food items (false morels) and risk for neurodegenerative disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)

Unknown environmental factors are thought to contribute to the etiology of sporadic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Strong evidence supporting this view is found in the post-World War decline and disappearance of high-incidence ALS in three Western Pacific populations that formerly utilized neurotoxic cycad seed as a traditional source of food and/or medicine. The principal toxins in cycads (cycasin) and in False Morel mushrooms (gyromitrin) generate methyl free radicals that damage DNA and cause mutation and uncontrolled division of cycling cells and degeneration of late-/post-mitotic neurons. Since False Morels are scavenged for food in Finland, Russia, Spain, and USA, research studies are underway in Western Europe and USA to determine if the practice is associated with sporadic ALS.