Dangers of Mycotoxins for Your Brain

Mold is very common, and can live in almost any indoor environment including: office buildings, homes, skyscrapers, and more! Any time there is even a tiny bit of moisture, mold can grow. The smallest leak can cause mold to grow in your home or office.

Why should it matter if mold grows? Mold causes serious indoor air quality problems and can make you very sick. Even healthy adults who do not have allergies or asthma can be affected by mold and poor indoor air quality. It is now known that mold causes mental health problems as well as allergy and asthma symptoms.

The Effects on Mold on your Brain

Generally when people think about the effects of mold, they think of allergies and asthma such as sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes. However, certain molds can also be harmful to your health. So where is the line between an allergic mold and a toxic mold? The line is defined by something called a mycotoxin.

There’s a vast array of symptoms when you are diagnosed with Mycotoxin exposure. It is not uncommon for people to experience a litany of cognitive symptoms, including, but not limited to, brain fog, confusion, inattention, disorientation, and difficulties with memory, problem solving, following conversation, reaction time, and learning. Additional neurocognitive effects can manifest as mood complaints, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-like behavior, and social withdrawal. Meanwhile, strictly neurological complaints vary wildly and may involve reports of sensations of dizziness, internal vibration, numbness (which may be non-dermatomal), tingling, ataxia, vertigo, sharp pain, photophobia, changes in smell and taste, and tinnitus. Symptoms such as atypical seizure presentations, syncope, tremor, tics, depersonalization, and derealization may also occur, but to a lesser extent.