A Case-Study Survey of an Eight-year Cluster of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Referrals in a Rural English Village: Exploring Possible Aetiological Influences in a Hypothesis Stimulating Study

There is substantial evidence that neurological morbidity and mortality is increasing in most of the ten major Western countries and not simply age-related [1-4]. In particular there have been increases in Motor Neurone Disease (MND) rates in a number of Western countries over a relatively short time period [1-6]. Some argue these rises may be due to more accurate diagnosis [7]. Whilst there may be some truth in this, it can hardly account for the major rises reported in England & Wales, between 1980 and 2010, up 56% in males and 65% in females and in terms of UK nonAlzheimer Nervous Diseases deaths, these have risen 85% in the under 74 year old men and 71% in women, with substantial rises in 16 of the 20 Western countries [4].