Food and nutrition-related disease

Abstract

Plants and fungi used by humans for food represent complex mixtures of chemicals, some of which have dose-dependent neurotoxic potential that may trigger acute, delayed or long-latency neurological disease. Whether or how botanical chemicals trigger nervous system disorders, including their participation in sporadic neurodegenerative diseases, is a growing area of research interest in environmental neurology. Acute-onset disorders include hypoglycemic encephalopathy induced in hungry children who ingest immature fruit of the Soapberry family (Sapindaceae), notably lychee (Litchi sinenesis) in Asia or ackee (B.