This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Between 1940 and 1965, an unusually high incidence of ALS with co-occurrence in patients and families of a parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC) was observed in the Chamorro population of Guam. So far, no genetic causes for ALS/PDC have been found. The increased risk of ALS in migrants to and from Guam suggests a combined effect of an environmental exposure and a genetic susceptibility.1,2 The declining incidence of ALS on Guam has been attributed to changes in the consuming patterns of food containing the seed of the locally growing cycad palms. These seeds were either processed traditionally in cycad flour or ingested indirectly by the consumption of indigenous flying foxes. These foxes were foraging on the cycad seeds and are supposed to contain high concentrations of the neurotoxic components of the seeds.3,4
We reviewed information on residence on Guam in a previously conducted case-control study of ALS and investigated the possibility that residence in Guam contributed to the risk for ALS in citizens of the United States.
Methods.
The study population …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Topics Discussed
Alert Me
Recommended articles
ApoE and CYP2D6 polymorphism with and without parkinsonism-dementia complex in the people of Chamorro, Guam
Cycad exposure and risk of dementia, MCI, and PDC in the Chamorro population of Guam
The ALS/PDC syndrome of Guam and the cycad hypothesis
Occurrence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among Gulf War veterans