HWHF-supported researchers investigated how harmful algal bloom (HAB) exposure impacts brain health by studying stranded dolphins in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. They found that levels of the neurotoxin 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (2,4-DAB) were 2,900 times higher in dolphin brains during HAB seasons than non-bloom periods. These dolphins exhibited over 500 altered genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), GABAergic synapse impairment, and structural brain changes. The findings show that repeated seasonal exposure to 2,4-DAB may accelerate AD-like pathology in marine mammals, with implications for other species as HABs intensify under climate change. To read the full article, visit this link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08796-0