A mycotoxin present in many types of food deteriorates neuroregeneration

chemical structure of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Researchers at the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at CEU-UCH, in
cooperation with colleagues of University of Valencia, showed through in
vitro as well as in vivo experiments on lab animals the potential
negative effect on neuroregeneration caused by Ochratoxine A, a
mycotoxine found in many types of food, especially cereals and their
derivatives. The study showed that Ochratoxine A deteriorates the
formation of new neurons in the brain, a process called neurogenesis
that, in particular, takes place in the subventricular zone, which in
the adult brain is the largest of the neurogenic zones.