Study finds gyromitrin in false morels linked to French Alps ALS cluster
Updated
Updated · Earth.com · Apr 30
Study finds gyromitrin in false morels linked to French Alps ALS cluster
3 articles · Updated · Earth.com · Apr 30
In Montchavin, southeastern France, researchers traced 14 ALS diagnoses from 1990 to 2018 to repeated meals of misidentified Gyromitra esculenta group mushrooms.
Tests on dried specimens found measurable gyromitrin, which can break down into the neurotoxic chemical monomethylhydrazine; some patients had acute sickness after eating the mushrooms.
Genetic tests on seven patients suggested several may detoxify such chemicals slowly, but the study said the evidence shows correlation, not proof of causation, and called for further experiments.
Does your DNA decide if a mushroom meal could lead to a fatal disease?
Could your favorite traditional food be a hidden trigger for a future disease?
Is the secret to curing diseases like ALS hidden in small, isolated towns?
False Morel Consumption and Slow NAT2 Detoxification: Unraveling the Montchavin ALS Cluster (1991–2013)
Overview
A striking cluster of ALS cases in Montchavin, France, was linked in 2023 to the consumption of false morel mushrooms containing the toxin gyromitrin, which the body converts into monomethylhydrazine (MMH). MMH causes acute neurotoxicity and chronic DNA damage, leading to motor neuron degeneration over time. Genetic differences in the NAT2 enzyme affect how well individuals detoxify MMH; those with slow or intermediate acetylator types accumulate more toxin, increasing their ALS risk. This discovery highlights how environmental exposure combined with genetic susceptibility can trigger neurodegenerative disease, prompting public health warnings and ongoing research into the toxin’s effects and prevention strategies.