A new scientific study has found no evidence of an undiagnosed mystery brain disease in New Brunswick, says a report published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, known as JAMA.
Instead, an independent reassessment of 25 of 222 patients diagnosed by Moncton neurologist Alier Marrero as having a “neurological syndrome of unknown cause” concluded that all of the cases were attributable to well-known conditions.
These include common neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, functional neurological disorder, traumatic brain injury, and metastatic cancer, says the report.
The researchers also do not believe exposure to something in the environment, such as the herbicide glyphosate or heavy metals, made the patients ill.
“The broad range of very different, well-recognized diseases diagnosed is also strong evidence against a single environmental toxin causing the patients’ symptoms,” wrote the 13 co-authors. Six neurologists who conducted second, independent clinical evaluations at hospitals in New Brunswick and Ontario are among them.
Second opinions needed, report says
The researchers contend that what they found to be misdiagnoses were mainly due to “inaccurate clinical assessments” and an “overreliance on or misinterpretation” of supplementary testing.
They said any patient diagnosed with a neurological syndrome of unknown cause should get a second opinion, which many of Marrero’s patients have refused to do.
“Education, reassurance, and mental health support should also be prioritized for patients and families who have been profoundly impacted by claims that a potentially fatal mystery disease continues to affect them.”
Marrero could not immediately be reached for comment.
This story was brought to Nouzie by RSS. The original post can be found on https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mystery-neurological-disease-new-brunswick-journal-american-medical-association-1.7527682?cmp=rss
