# US 8,541,184 B2 · Screening for neurotoxic amino acid associated with neurological disorders

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- Number: US 8,541,184 B2
- Document ID: US8541184B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/015,288
- Filed: 2011-01-27
- Published: 2011-07-28
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2003-08-12
- Assignees: The Institute for Ethnomedicine
- Applicants: Paul Alan Cox; Sandra Banack; Susan Murch
- Inventors: Paul Alan Cox; Sandra Banack; Susan Murch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541184B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/6896: {Neurological disorders, e.g. Alzheimer's disease}
- G01N 33/6812: {Assays for specific amino acids}
- G01N 33/94: involving narcotics {or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptors}
- G01N 2410/00: Assays, e.g. immunoassays or enzyme assays, involving peptides of less than 20 animo acids
- G01N 2550/00: Electrophoretic profiling, e.g. for proteome analysis
- G01N 2800/28: Neurological disorders
- Y02A 50/30: Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Methods for screening for neurological disorders are disclosed. Specifically, methods are disclosed for screening for neurological disorders in a subject by analyzing a tissue sample obtained from the subject for the presence of elevated levels of neurotoxic amino acids or neurotoxic derivatives thereof associated with neurological disorders. In particular, methods are disclosed for diagnosing a neurological disorder in a subject, or predicting the likelihood of developing a neurological disorder in a subject, by determining the levels of β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) in a tissue sample obtained from the subject. Methods for screening for environmental factors associated with neurological disorders are disclosed. Methods for inhibiting, treating or preventing neurological disorders are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of screening a subject having or at risk of having Parkinson's Disease (PD) comprising, obtaining a tissue sample from the subject and analyzing the sample to determine the amount of protein-bound β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), wherein the presence of BMAA in the sample indicates the subject has or is at risk of having PD.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the protein-bound BMAA comprises BMAA incorporated into at least one protein.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the protein-bound BMAA comprises BMAA associated with at least one protein.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the presence of free BMAA.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the subject has symptoms of PD.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is asymptomatic for PD.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the subject has been identified as being at risk for developing PD.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue sample is neurological tissue.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the neurological tissue is associated with the central nervous system (CNS).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the tissue is brain tissue.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the tissue is cerebral-spinal fluid (CSF).

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the neurological tissue is associated with the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue is non-neurological tissue.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the tissue is keratinous tissue.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the tissue is hair.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the tissue is skin.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the tissue is nail.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the nail is a fingernail.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the nail is a toenail.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the tissue is non-keratinous tissue.