1. A disease caused by prolonged consumption of seeds of certain vetch plants (genus Lathyrus), characterized by paralysis, spasticity, and neurological damage.
Usage: medical; plural form of lathyrism; primarily historical; associated with famine conditions in parts of Asia and Africa

Examples

• Lathyrisms were documented in populations that relied heavily on grass pea cultivation during food shortages.
• The neurological symptoms of lathyrisms include progressive weakness in the lower limbs.
• Medical researchers have studied lathyrisms to understand the toxic compounds in certain legume seeds.
• Cases of lathyrisms emerged in regions where grass peas became a dietary staple out of necessity.