Friday, March 28, 2008

Pesticide Parkinson's link strong

There is strong evidence that exposure to pesticides significantly increases the risk of Parkinson's disease. Another study, published in the BMC Neurology journal, has made the link to the neurological disease. The US researchers found those exposed to pesticides had a 1.6 times higher risk after studying 600 people. The US team, which involved scientists from Duke University, Miami University and the Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Center of Excellence, quizzed 319 patients about their pesticide use. The answers were compared to over 200 family members and other controls who did not have the disease. Related individuals were chosen as they would share many environmental and genetic backgrounds in a bid to isolate the impact of the pesticides. They found those exposed to pesticides had a 1.6 times greater risk of developing the disease. Heavy use, classed as over 200 days exposure over a lifetime, carried over double the risk. And the study also revealed herbicides and insecticides were the pesticides most likely to increase risk.

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