Dementia

"This is Doctor Maripaluk. Go ahead."

Claudia takes the handset. "Doctor, what could cause a whole group of people to go mad?" She explains what you found.

There is a pause. "The medical term is dementia," the voice comes back. "Deteriorated mentality. Something is preventing normal function in the brain."

"Something -- such as what?"

The doctor's voice is calm. "Something that can cross the blood-brain barrier." Pause. "First we must consider metal poisoning..." The voice fades into static.

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.
Copyright © 1997 Genentech, Inc.; all rights reserved.