A study by UCLA researchers suggests that the common pesticide paraquat may lead to Parkinson's disease. The research examined patients in California's Central Valley to determine if exposure to the pesticide is linked to the movement disorder.
The study analyzed 829 patients with Parkinson's disease and 824 people living in the same counties who do not have the disease. Researchers looked at pesticide application records to see if paraquat was used within 500 meters of the participants' homes or workplaces between 1974 and the time they were diagnosed.
Researchers found a strong connection between the pesticide and Parkinson's disease risk. The risk increased with the amount of pesticide applied on fields and the duration of exposure. These effects were noted to be particularly strong for patients diagnosed before the age of 60, though the connection was also observed in those diagnosed later in life.
Beate Ritz, MD, PhD, the study's senior author, noted that while paraquat has been shown to harm animals, there have been fewer human studies. Dr. Ritz, a professor of epidemiology, environmental health, and neurology, stated that the results were consistent across different data views. She expressed hope that the Environmental Protection Agency will ban paraquat in the U.S., noting that the substance has been banned in the U.K.
