Chemicals, somatic mutations and neurodegeneration: Evidence from Western Pacific ALS-PDC.

Leija-Salazar and colleagues discuss current evidence for somatic mutations in neurodegeneration, focusing on sporadic, usually late-onset neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Somatic mutation, defined as any acquired post-zygotic change in the nuclear genome, has long been linked to chemically induced DNA damage, aging and cancer but little more than a theoretical basis exists to associate comparable phenomena with sporadic neurodegenerative diseases. Whereas specific exogenous mutagenic chemicals, such as the fungal toxin aflatoxin B1, the amine dye benzo(a)-pyrene, and a tobacco-specific N-nitrosamine, are key examples of proven mutagenic carcinogens [2], only broad exposure categories, such as tobacco smoke, have been linked positively with ALS and AD, and negatively with PD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.