Study Confirms Popular Herbicide Is Brain-Damaging Neurotoxin

AlternativeFreePress.com

A new study out of Brazil, published in the journal Toxicology, proposes an explanation for the adverse neurological effects of glyphosate herbicide. Previous observations found that agrochemical exposure can lead to, or accelerate, neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the mechanism of glyphosate-induced neurotoxic effects needed to be determined.

“Mechanisms underlying the neurotoxicity induced by glyphosate-based herbicide in immature rat hippocampus: Involvement of glutamate excitotoxicity,” tested the neurotoxicity of Roundup in the hippocampus of immature rats following acute exposure (30 minutes) and chronic (pregnancy and lactation) exposure.

Results show that acute exposure to the herbicide (30 min) increases 45Ca2+ influx. This occurs by activating NMDA receptors and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, which leads to oxidative stress and neural cell death. Additionally, they found that Roundup affected the enzymes ERK and CaMKII. Acute exposure “increased 3H-glutamate released into the synaptic cleft, decreased GSH content and increased the lipoperoxidation, characterizing excitotoxicity and oxidative damage” and the study summarizes, “Taken together, these results demonstrated that Roundup® might lead to excessive extracellular glutamate levels and consequently to glutamate excitotoxicity and oxidative stress in rat hippocampus.”

The study found that “Exposure to environmental toxicants during pregnancy and suckling periods has the potential to affect embryo and fetal development.”

No more claims of coincidence, no more possible doubt… glyphosate is a brain-damaging neurotoxin, our food is being poisoned.

Written by Alternative Free Press
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Sources for this story:

1. Mechanisms underlying the neurotoxicity induced by glyphosate-based herbicide in immature rat hippocampus: Involvement of glutamate excitotoxicity http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300483X14000493