Pellagra Mystery
What disease caused symptoms like dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia?
Pellagra
What major change marked the Neolithic Revolution?
The shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture
What crop became a staple food in many cultures worldwide?
Corn (maize)
Is pellagra caused by an infectious agent or insufficient diet?
Insufficient diet
What process do plants use to make food?
Photosynthesis
Pellagra is caused by a deficiency of what vitamin?
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
How did agriculture affect human population size?
It increased population size
Corn is an example of what type of crop when grown repeatedly in one area?
Monoculture
What is an infectious agent?
A pathogen that causes disease (bacteria, virus, etc.)
Name one input of photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide, water, or sunlight
Why were corn-based diets linked to pellagra in the early 1900s?
Corn lacked accessible niacin unless properly processed
Name one reason agriculture allowed populations to grow.
Stable food supply
What process makes nutrients in corn more available?
Nixtamalization
Give one example of a disease caused by an infectious agent.
Tuberculosis, influenza, COVID-19 (any valid example)
Name one output of photosynthesis.
Glucose or oxygen
What scientist proved pellagra was caused by diet, not infection?
Joseph Goldberger
What was one environmental impact of early farming?
Soil depletion or deforestation
Why is corn considered energy-rich?
It contains a high amount of carbohydrates
Why was pellagra initially mistaken for an infectious disease?
It spread among groups of people living in close conditions
Where do plants get nitrogen from?
Soil (through nitrates or nitrogen-fixing bacteria)
How did poverty contribute to the spread of pellagra?
Limited access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods
How did sedentary lifestyles change human societies?
Led to permanent settlements and specialization of labor
What is one ecological risk of relying heavily on corn monoculture?
Reduced biodiversity / increased pest vulnerability
What evidence helped prove pellagra was NOT infectious?
Dietary changes cured/prevented it
Why is nitrogen important for plants?
It is needed to build proteins and DNA