Stress-related over-enhancement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis causes experimental neurolathyrism in rats

Publication date: Available online 31 August 2019Source: Environmental Toxicology and PharmacologyAuthor(s): Kimino Minagawa, Shin-ichi Yamada, Ayano Suzuki, Saeko Ta, Toshio Kumai, Fernand Lambein, Kuniko Kusama-EguchiAbstractNeurolathyrism is a motor neuron disease that is caused by the overconsumption of grass peas (Lathyrus sativus L.) under stressful conditions. The neuro-excitatory β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid present in grass peas was proposed the causative agent of spastic paraparesis of the legs. Historical reports of neurolathyrism epidemics, studies of neurolathyrism animal models, and in vitro studies on the mechanism of β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid toxicity support the hypothesis that stress increases susceptibility to neurolathyrism. To elucidate the role of stress in neurolathyrism-induced motor dysfunction, we focused on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in a rodent model of neurolathyrism. Our results implicated increased glucocorticoid and neuroinflammation in the motor dysfunction (paraparesis) exhibited by the stress loaded rat models of neurolathyrism.
Source: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research