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Review
. 2021 Aug 27;403(1):3-26.
doi: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0214. Print 2022 Jan 26.

The role of mycotoxins in neurodegenerative diseases: current state of the art and future perspectives of research

Vu Thu Thuy Nguyen  1 , Svenja König  2 , Simone Eggert  2 , Kristina Endres  1 , Stefan Kins  2
Affiliations
Review

The role of mycotoxins in neurodegenerative diseases: current state of the art and future perspectives of research

Vu Thu Thuy Nguyen et al. Biol Chem. .

Abstract

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that can cause various diseases in humans and animals. The adverse health effects of mycotoxins such as liver failure, immune deficiency, and cancer are well-described. However, growing evidence suggests an additional link between these fungal metabolites and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the wealth of these initial reports, reliable conclusions are still constrained by limited access to human patients and availability of suitable cell or animal model systems. This review summarizes knowledge on mycotoxins associated with neurodegenerative diseases and the assumed underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The limitations of the common in vivo and in vitro experiments to identify the role of mycotoxins in neurotoxicity and thereby in neurodegenerative diseases are elucidated and possible future perspectives to further evolve this research field are presented.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; blood-brain-barrier; cell culture; fungi; neurotoxin; three-dimensional-culture.

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