Failure to Detect the Neurotoxin β-n-methylamino-l-alanine in Samples Collected during an Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy ( AVM ) Epornitic in J . Strom

PURPOSE: The neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), which is produced by wide genera of cyanobacteria, has been proposed as a factor in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC), and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). This compound was previously detected in epiphytic alga and vegetation samples collected from a reservoir with frequent outbreaks of avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM). The purpose of this work was to evaluate samples of aquatic vegetation with the associated cyanobacterium and waterbird tissues collected during an AVM epornitic and from a novel site. Samples were tested for the presence of BMAA using a recently updated analytical technique, high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry LC-MS/MS. Identifying the putative toxin will be important in determining the etiology of AVM and evaluating risks to fish, wildlife, and humans using these aquatic systems.