In the Discover article, Dr. Deborah Mash, professor at Univ of Miami Med School, is identified as a researcher into the possibility that BMAA causes neurodegenerative diseases. She is also a primary researcher on "Ibogaine" an orally administered substance used to increase GDNF and treat addictions; seems the oral form crosses the BBB.
from former posting on Ibogaine:
"...In a recent study, ibogaine was
found to upregulate GDNF expression in the midbrain and increase GDNF
secretion and GDNF-dependent activation of downstream signaling pathways in vitro (4). These data suggest that ibogaine may represent a powerful new
method to upregulate GDNF in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
Multidisciplinary research, using ibogaine as a lead compound, could reshape
the lives of those afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease..."

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ional+medicine

The use of Ibogaine is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of addictions, esp alcoholism. seems it is on no one's radar for potential use in PD(the above abstract is from a student's proposal). The researchers I corresponded with about the use of Ibogaine and its utility in PD both commented that due to its hallucinatory potential, it would probably not be used for PD. OH? as though many approved PD drugs do not have that potential. Seems a major problem with studying this drug is that it is a naturally occurring plant product and thus not patentable. hopefuly some pharma co will become interested and extract the active substrate and synthesize it. thus making it patentable.