Mold and Mycotoxins: Effects on the Neurological and Immune Systems in Humans

This comprehensive review examines the effects of mold and mycotoxin exposure on the neurological and immune systems in humans exposed to indoor environments contaminated by water damage. The authors present clinical and laboratory evidence demonstrating that mycotoxins produced by common indoor molds — including Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species — cause measurable neurological and immunological damage in exposed individuals. The chapter reviews the mechanisms by which mycotoxins suppress the immune system through cytotoxicity and altered Th1/Th2 balance, making exposed patients more susceptible to infections and reactive to chemical irritants. Neurological effects documented include the formation of neural autoantibodies, neurophysiological abnormalities detected through visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials, demyelination of the central and peripheral nervous systems, and cognitive and behavioral impairment. The authors present data from patients exposed to molds in water-damaged buildings showing significantly elevated antibodies to molds and mycotoxins — including satratoxin, trichothecenes, and other Stachybotrys-derived toxins — compared to unexposed controls. The chapter also addresses the routes of mycotoxin exposure (inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption), the persistence of mycotoxins in indoor environments even after visible mold removal, and the role of blood serum antibody testing as the most reliable diagnostic method for confirming mycotoxin exposure in clinical settings. This publication has served as a foundational reference for clinicians and researchers in the field of environmental mycotoxicology for over two decades.