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Researchers suggest link between toxic algae and Alzheimer’s, ALS

“Toxic Puzzle” documentary shown on Treasure Coast
Ari Hait
Reporter
Researchers suggest link between toxic algae and Alzheimer’s, ALS

“Toxic Puzzle” documentary shown on Treasure Coast

WEBVTT THE DOCUMENTARY "TOXIC PUZZLE." REPORTER ARI HAIT WAS THERE FOR THE SCREENING. HE HAS THE STORY ALL NEW AT 11:00. ARI: THE STARSTRUCK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER HERE IN STUART IS WELL KNOWN FOR PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT ON THE TREASURE COAST, BUT ON THIS NIGHT, IT WAS MORE ABOUT EDUCATION. EDUCATION ABOUT TOXIC ALGAE. >> IT’S ALL ALGAE ACCUMULATED THERE. ARI: BY NOW, WE’VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE TOXIC ALGAE. >> IF YOU HAD ANY FISH HERE, THEY’RE ALL DEAD NOW. ARI: WE ALL KNOW IT CAN BE UNHEALTHY. BUT SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF JUST HOW UNHEALTHY IT CAN BE. >> I JUST SAT THERE AND I READ, WILL DIE. ARI: ABOUT 100 PEOPLE ON THE TREASURE COAST CAME OUT TUESDAY NIGHT TO WATCH A MOVIE CALLED "TOXIC PUZZLE." >> ULTIMATELY, WE DON’T WANT TO CAUSE PANIC. THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT. ARI: DR. JAMES METCALF WORKS AT BRAIN CHEMISTRY LABS IN WYOMING, THEY’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SCIENCE IN "TOXIC PUZZLE." IT IS SCIENCE THAT SUGGESTS A LINK BETWEEN TOXIC GREEN ALGAE AND DEVASTATING DISEASES. >> OUR EXPERIMENTS SEEM TO SHOW THAT EXPOSURE TO THE TOXIC BLUE-GREEN ALGAE MAY LEAD TO DISEASES LIKE ALZHEIMER’S AND LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE, ALSO KNOWN AS ALS. ARI: DR. METCALF SAYS THEY HAVE DISCOVERED CYANOBACTERIA, BLUE-GREEN ALGAE, IN THE BRAINS OF PEOPLE WHO DIED FROM ALZHEIMER’S, ALS, AND DEMENTIA. WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW DID IT GET THERE AND DID IT CAUSE THOSE DISEASES. >> THIS IS A RISK IF YOU’RE EATING SEAFOOD. I’VE DOCUMENTED THAT THERE’S HIGH LEVELS OF THIS BMAA NEUROTOXIN IN A LOT OF THE SEAFOOD IN SOUTH FLORIDA. ARI: RESEARCHERS BELIEVE CONTACT WITH TOXIC ALGAE, SWIMMING IN IT, DRINKING IT, EATING SEAFOOD THAT COMES FROM IT, MAY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF CONTRACTING THOSE DISEASES. THERE’S ALSO A THEORY VERY MUCH NOT PROVEN. >> WE ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT BREATHING IN THE ALGAE AS A POSSIBLE MEANS OF EXPOSURE. ARI: THAT YOU SHOULDN’T BE ANYWHERE NEAR THAT TOXIC ALGAE. >> I WOULD SUGGEST ALSO AVOIDING EVEN TRYING TO BREATHE THE AIR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ARI: AND TO REITERATE, THAT’S JUST A THEOR
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Researchers suggest link between toxic algae and Alzheimer’s, ALS

“Toxic Puzzle” documentary shown on Treasure Coast
Ari Hait
Reporter
About 100 people crowded into the Starstruck Performing Arts Center in Stuart Tuesday to watch a documentary that suggests there could be a link between toxic algae and devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and ALS. The documentary is called “Toxic Puzzle” and the science behind comes from Brain Chemistry Labs in Wyoming. “Our experiments seem to show that exposure to the toxic blue green algae may lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as ALS,” said Dr. James Metcalf, a senior researcher at Brain Chemistry Labs. But Dr. Metcalf also cautions the research is not yet definitive. “Ultimately, we don’t want to cause panic,” he said. “That’s very important.” “Toxic Puzzle” traces the research back to World War II and through several different continents. It says researchers have found cyanobacteria, another term for blue green algae, in the brains of people who died with Alzheimer’s, ALS, and dementia. What the researchers said they’re now trying to figure out is how that cyanobacteria got there and what role did it play in causing the diseases. “This is a risk if you’re eating seafood,” said Dr. Larry Brand, a researcher who contributed to the documentary. “I’ve documented there’s high levels of BMAA neurotoxin in a lot of the seafood in South Florida.” BMAA is an algal toxin. Researchers believe contact with toxic algae, whether it be swimming in it, drinking it, or eating seafood that comes from it, may increase your chances of contracting those diseases. They also theorize that just being near the algae can be dangerous. “I would suggest also avoiding trying to breathe the air as much as possible,” Dr. Brand said. Scientists said it would take years of additional research before they can definitively conclude what role toxic algae plays in these diseases.
STUART, Fla. —

About 100 people crowded into the Starstruck Performing Arts Center in Stuart Tuesday to watch a documentary that suggests there could be a link between toxic algae and devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and ALS.

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The documentary is called “Toxic Puzzle” and the science behind comes from Brain Chemistry Labs in Wyoming.

“Our experiments seem to show that exposure to the toxic blue green algae may lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as ALS,” said Dr. James Metcalf, a senior researcher at Brain Chemistry Labs.

But Dr. Metcalf also cautions the research is not yet definitive.

“Ultimately, we don’t want to cause panic,” he said. “That’s very important.”

“Toxic Puzzle” traces the research back to World War II and through several different continents.

It says researchers have found cyanobacteria, another term for blue green algae, in the brains of people who died with Alzheimer’s, ALS, and dementia.

What the researchers said they’re now trying to figure out is how that cyanobacteria got there and what role did it play in causing the diseases.

“This is a risk if you’re eating seafood,” said Dr. Larry Brand, a researcher who contributed to the documentary. “I’ve documented there’s high levels of BMAA neurotoxin in a lot of the seafood in South Florida.”

BMAA is an algal toxin.

Researchers believe contact with toxic algae, whether it be swimming in it, drinking it, or eating seafood that comes from it, may increase your chances of contracting those diseases.

They also theorize that just being near the algae can be dangerous.

“I would suggest also avoiding trying to breathe the air as much as possible,” Dr. Brand said.

Scientists said it would take years of additional research before they can definitively conclude what role toxic algae plays in these diseases.