A toxin produced by blue-green algae in lakes and coastal areas is under study as a possible contributor in the development in some people of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. But don’t panic if you’ve taken a dip in the gulf or a nearby lake and surfaced in a sticky layer of blue-green algae. “This is a theory under investigation,” said Glenn Smith, a neurologist and vice chair of clinical affairs for UTMB. “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a syndrome, which means it can have more than one cause, and it is still rare,” Smith said. The December issue of the magazine Scientific American includes an account of a northeastern study that focuses on people living near a local lake with an abundance of blue-green algae. The rate of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the region was many times the expected rate. A new study will explore the possible connection. This theory is not a new one, Smith said. Beginning in 2005, research has been published on the relationship of algae toxins to neurological dysfunction.