The number of New Brunswickians afflicted by a strange but fatal brain ailment keeps growing. .The New York Post reported Monday neurological symptoms such as hallucinations, muscle wasting, vision problems, memory loss, and abnormal movements were seen in a small group of patients, growing to 48 cases in 2015. .Some health experts and New Brunswickians said the number of people with the condition is now higher, possibly exceeding 200. .A large number of these cases are in young people, who do not often show dementia-like symptoms or signs of other neurological problems. .New Brunswick neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero wrote a letter to the provincial chief medical officer and the Canadian public health officer in January, saying he was “particularly concerned about the increase in numbers of young-onset and early-onset neurological syndrome.” .“Over the past year, I have been following 147 cases, between the ages of 17 and 80 years old,” said Marrero. .“Out of those, 57 are early-onset cases and 41 are young-onset cases.” .There were nine deaths attributed to the mysterious illness as of 2021. .A government investigation, which was considering environmental toxins as a cause, shut down in 2021. .Public Health New Brunswick (PHNB) declared in a report in 2022 there was “no evidence of a cluster of neurological syndrome of unknown cause.” .“People who were part of this cluster displayed symptoms that varied significantly from case to case, and there was no evidence of a shared common illness or of a syndrome of unknown cause,” said the report. .But Marrero and patient advocates are not giving up, and many suspect the disorder might be linked to the use of pesticides in New Brunswick. .Glyphosate — a herbicide used in agriculture, forestry, and household weed killers — has come under particular focus. .Marrero warned recent laboratory tests on patients showed clear signs of exposure to glyphosate and other compounds linked to herbicides, noting the presence of glyphosate could be linked to blooms of blue-green algae in bodies of water. .Glyphosate contains phosphorous, which can stimulate blooms of blue-green algae — a type of cyanobacteria capable of sickening people and killing animals. .Advocates insist the true number of cases is at least 200, and some of the patients have tested positive for multiple environmental toxins at levels up to 40 times higher than the average limit. .A group of New Brunswick patients and their families are urging the provincial and Canadian governments to conduct a full-scale investigation into the disorder. .Patient advocate Steve Ellis’ father Roger was one of the first 48 cases of the neurological condition. .“We are formally demanding that federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos unmuzzle Canadian scientists and direct the Public Health Agency of Canada to uphold the Canada Health Act and reinstate federal experts into the investigation,” said Steve. .Patient advocate Stacie Cormier said the group was led to believe a thorough, unbiased public health investigation was in progress for one year. .“We are here to tell you that that did not happen,” said Cormier. .Academic researchers in the United Kingdom determined in 2022 people who suffered a COVID-19 infection could have experienced a significant loss of brain function..READ MORE: British university study says COVID might have dented your IQ and aged your brain 20 years.Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London found COVID-19 could knock 10 points off of people’s IQ levels..The study reported people who have recovered from COVID-19 and had a hospital stay could have sustained brain damage which might take six months to heal. It suggested the infection might age a brain by as much as 20 years.
