Mold and the Brain: How Neurologic Conditions Might be Linked to Toxicity and Sick Buildings

Mold illness is a chronic, multifaceted, often debilitating disease that is very much neglected, downplayed and misdiagnosed. Much of the research has denied the severity of mold illness and CIRS, chronic inflammatory response syndrome. But lately the science is showing hat multiple mycotoxins do have the potential to cause disease including Fusarium, Penicillum, Aspegillus and stachybotrys.

What is mold?

Mold is a type of fungus grown in multicellular filaments on moist food and other surfaces. While generally thought to be an outdoor problem, mold contamination in buildings is quite common. In fact, effects of air pollutants have been receiving increased attention both clinically and in the media.

One study from Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts), in 13,369 white children aged 8 to 12 years from 24 communities across North America, reported that the prevalence of indoor mold growth was between 22% to 57%, affecting 450% of households in 5 communities.

How does fungus enter our body?

Fungal growth occurs in the form of multicellular filaments known as hyphae or spores. The growth of molds is omnipresent not only in outdoor settings but also in indoor environments containing excessive amounts of moisture. Modern day building practices have exacerbated the problem. Energy efficient homes with little air flow is not how nature intended.

Some molds, especially Trichoderma, Fusarium and Stachybotrys species, produce mycotoxins that are absorbed from the skin, airways, and intestinal lining. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are volatile organic compounds and can damage our DNA. People exposed to molds and mycotoxins present with symptoms affecting multiple organs, including the lungs, musculoskeletal system, as well as the central and peripheral nervous systems.