An increasing body of research is associating pesticide exposure to Parkison’s disease, a neurological disorder that affects movement and has no cure.
In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, neuroscientist Kelsey Baker of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley observed a significantly increasing number of Parkinson’s patients while reviewing medical records.
While studying the cause of increasing numbers of cases of Pakinson's disease, research discovered that individuals with repeated pesticide exposure showed more brain abnormalities and changes in brain-body communication as compared to those with reduced exposure.
Parkinson’s is said to be the world’s fastest-growing neurological disorder, with over 25 million cases projected by 2050.
Scientists projected that more than 80% of cases are associated with environmental factors instead of genetics.
One chemical, which is currently being reviewed is paraquat, a widely used herbicide linked to an increased Parkinson’s risk.
Research showed that individuals living or working near areas where paraquat is applied experiences increased odds of developing this disease.
Former Texas Teacher of the Year Leo Armando Ramirez Sr. and retired nurse Esmeralda Myla Garza, both diagnosed with Parkinson’s, spent their childhoods working in fields where pesticides were routinely sprayed, so they used to get exposed to the chemical on a daily basis.
They believe those exposures may have contributed to their illnesses.
The debate over paraquat remains continued. Advocacy groups and Parkinson’s organizations have urged for stricter regulations, while the United States Environmental Protection Agency stressed the need for more studies.
Although paraquat remains banned in at least 74 countries, it remains in use across the United States, raising ongoing concerns for farmworkers and residents living near agricultural fields to develop Parkinson disease later in life.
