Pesticide link to Parkinson's disease has strengthened article

May 26, 2005

Pesticide link to Parkinson's disease has strengthened

PARIS (AFP) - Fears that pesticides may cause Parkinson's have been

strengthened by research that says the greater the exposure to these

chemicals, the higher the risk of developing the disease, according to

a report.

Low users of pesticides such as amateur gardeners are nine percent

likelier than non-users to develop Parkinson's, while high users, such

as farmers, are 43 percent likelier, the study in New Scientist says.

The so-called Geoparkinson study, head-authored by University of

Aberdeen scientist Seaton, investigated the background of 767

volunteers in Scotland, Italy, Sweden, Romania and Malta who had

Parkinson's disease.

These were compared against 1,989 " controls " -- people who had similar

backgrounds but were healthy.

The study does not identify which pesticides could be to blame, and

says there are other risk factors for Parkinson's that are much higher.

For instance, having a family history of the disease boosts the risk

by 350 percent; being knocked unconscious raises the risk by 32

percent, and those who have been knocked out several times face an

increased risk of 174 percent.

The report appears in next Saturday's issue of the weekly British

science magazine, which says the study confirms the need for gardeners

and farmers to wear protective gear when handling pesticides.

Parkinson's is a currently incurable, degenerative disease of the

nervous system, affecting more than one percent of people over the age

of 65.

It occurs when there is a loss of cells in a part of the brain that

produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter that communicates with other

brain cells which regulate motor functions. Symptoms range from

tremors and awkwardness and muscular stiffness to a distinctive

shuffling gait. The cause of the cell loss is unknown.

The screen actor J. Fox is a sufferer of the disease, as was

Pope II.

Recommended Posts