Pesticides exposure raises Parkinson's Risk

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Pesticides exposure raises Parkinson's Risk

 

Pesticides but not other environmental contaminants, may boost the long-term

risk for developing Parkinson's disease by 70 percent, a new study suggests.

 

Their finding does back up earlier animal studies linking pesticide exposure to

motor function abnormalities and lower levels of the brain neurotransmitter

dopamine. Declines in dopamine have long been associated with Parkinson's.

 

" This is the first large human study that shows that exposure to pesticide is

associated with a higher incidence of Parkinson's, " said study lead author Dr.

Alberto Ascherio, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the

Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

 

Ascherio and his colleagues discussed their work in the July issue of the Annals

of Neurology.

 

The authors reviewed lifestyle surveys completed in both 1982 and in 2001 by

over 143,000 participants in the U.S. " Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition

Cohort, " launched in 1982.

 

The researchers studied 413 participants who were diagnosed with Parkinson's

disease.

 

Exposed patients were twice as likely to be blue-collar workers and 14 times

more likely to work as either a farmer, rancher, or fisherman.

 

The Harvard team found that, regardless of occupation, pesticide exposure

boosted long-term Parkinson's risk by 70 percent over the long-term.

 

Robin Elliot, executive director for the Parkinson's Disease Foundation in New

York City, described the findings as " important and solid. "

 

" This is certainly the biggest and most serious populations study on people, and

it appears to be the best proof today that there is a general association

between pesticide and Parkinson's among people, " said Elliot. " It merits further

investigation, " he said.

 

SOURCES: Alberto Ascherio, M.D., associate professor, nutrition and

epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health , Boston; Robin Elliot, executive

director, Parksinon's Disease Foundation, New York City; July, 2006 issue of the

Annals of Neurology.

 

Caroline Collard

 

World's first fully certified organic skin, body, oral and health care products

www.happyandhealthy.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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