Maybe, and if so, they don’t know why.
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Given the history of Guam ALS and how successful we’ve been at determining the cause, I’m not optimistic that the discovery of this correlation will lead to anything useful.
In case anyone is not familiar with the Guam ALS situation, a discussion of it can be found here:
http://www.parkinson.org/site/pp.asp?c=9dJFJLPwB&b=99904
PON Gene Cluster Variant and ALS:
Genetic variations in three enzymes that detoxify insecticides and nerve gas agents as well as metabolize cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be a risk factor for developing sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), and possibly responsible for a reported twofold increased risk of ALS in Gulf War veterans.
These findings, from a study led Teepu Siddique, M.D., and colleagues August 22 online issue (available now) of the journal Neurology.
The genes for human paraoxanases (PON 1, PON 2 and PON 3), which are located on chromosome 7q21.3, code for the production of detoxifying enzymes involved in the metabolism of a variety of drugs , organophosphate insecticides, such as parathion, diazinon and chlorpyrifos, and nerve gas agents such as sarin.
Previous research described a possible twofold increased risk for developing ALS in veterans of the Gulf War, indicating a war-related environmental exposure to organophosphates and sarin in genetically susceptible individuals as a possible cause.
PON gene cluster variants
have previously been associated with other neurodegenerative and
vascular disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, coronary artery disease and stroke.
http://tinyurl.com/y7h788
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