AIIMS Bhubaneswar investigates neurological risks linked to cycad plant

Bhubaneswar : AIIMS Bhubaneswar is conducting research to find out whether consuming cycad plant-based foods is directly linked to an increased risk of neurological diseases. Existing research has found BMAA, a potential neurotoxin, in several species of cycads. The finding raised concerns as certain sections of people in Odisha traditionally consume cycad-based food items like pitha.

The toxins are associated with debilitating neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, and dementia in places abroad like Guam, and Kii Peninsula in Japan, where people consume the plant products.

A group of national and international scientists and medical experts recently attended an international workshop on ‘Cycad-Related Neurological Disorders: A Multi-Dimensional Ap