3 ms·
We're talking about the same molecule that serves as an excitatory neurotransmitter in your brain. It turns out that if you eat a lot of it, it's possible to ge
by car 16y ago
We're talking about the same molecule that serves as an excitatory neurotransmitter in your brain. It turns out that if you eat a lot of it, it's possible to get a headache (other people claim other ailments). Not much is known about the specifics of the mechanism, but it's not that implausible.
The blood-brain barrier makes this completely implausible.
- wnoise 16y agoDoes it? The blood-brain barrier lets lots of stuff pass, primarily restricting large molecules and hydrophilic molecules. Some, like glucose for instance, are specifically pulled through. I would expect amino-acid monomers would go right through. Prions, misfolded proteins consisting of many monomers, certainly manage to pass through, or no one would ever get the associated diseases.