Title:Mycotoxins and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Food Exposure,
Nutritional Implications and Dietary Solutions
Volume: 23
Issue: 5
Author(s): Umberto Manera*, Enrico Matteoni, Antonio Canosa, Stefano Callegaro, Federico Casale, Daniela Marchis, Rosario Vasta, Cristina Moglia, Adriano Chiò and Andrea Calvo
Affiliation:
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neurology 1,
AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
Keywords:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, neurodegeneration, mycotoxins, food exposure, mycobiome, diet habits.
Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder determined by a combination
of both genetic and environmental factors. Despite wide investigations, the role of chronic
exposure to environmental pollutants is still rather unknown. Among natural toxins, the mycotoxins
have received major attention only in the last few years, due to both technical and scientific achievements
that allowed to disentangle many important features of the complex fungal biology. Whereas
the effects of acute and high-dose mycotoxin exposure are well known, the potential effects of chronic
and low-dose exposure on neurodegeneration have not been broadly elucidated. In this review, we
have summarized all the studies concerning environmental exposure to unknown substances that
caused ALS outbreaks all over the world, reinterpreting in light of the new scientific acquisitions and
highlighting the potential and neglected role of mycotoxins. Then, we focused on recent papers about
food exposure to mycotoxin, mycobiome and fungal infections in ALS and other neurodegenerative
diseases. We analyzed the gaps of current literature that lead to an undervaluation of mycotoxins as
detrimental molecules. By listing all the most important mycotoxins and analyzing all the biological
pathways that they can affect, we explained the reasons why they need to be considered in the next epidemiological
studies on ALS and other neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. In conclusion,
after suggesting some possible solutions to mitigate mycotoxin exposure risk, we affirm that
future collaborations between scientists and policymakers are important to develop sustainable interventions
and promote health through dietary diversity.