Of Hurricanes, Fungus and Parkinson's Disease

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131111161430.htm

Nov. 11, 2013 — Scientists at Rutgers and Emory universities have discovered that a compound often emitted by mold may be linked to symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

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"Parkinson's has been linked to exposure to environmental toxins, but the toxins were human-made chemicals," Inamdar said. "In this paper, we show that biologic compounds have the potential to damage dopamine and cause Parkinson's symptoms."

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Studies indicate that Parkinson's disease -- a progressive disease of the nervous system marked by tremor, muscular rigidity and slow, imprecise movement -- is increasing in rural areas, where it's usually attributed to pesticide exposure. But rural environments also have a lot of mold and mushroom exposure.

"Our work suggests that 1-octen-3-ol might also be connected to the disease, particularly for people with a genetic susceptibility to it," Inamdar said. "We've given the epidemiologists some new avenues to explore."