New Study Shows Alzheimer’s-like Brain Disease in Dead Florida Dolphins

Toxic blue-green algae hit it Southwest Florida hard in 2018. Dolphins washed up on our shores by the dozen. Research at UM is shining a light on what happened to these animals.

Newly released research by scientists at University of Miami found dead dolphins poisoned by blue-green algae showed signs of Alzheimer’s-like brain disease.

“So what we’re seeing from the study from my point of view is pretty much a smoking gun,” said John Cassani, founder of Calusa Waterkeeper.

Scientists said they found the toxin BMAA in the brains of stranded dolphins that dated back to 2005. FGCU researchers found that same toxin in air quality tests in Cape Canals.