Contact with pesticides and solvents increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to the latest meta-analysis of 104 previous studies, published in the prestigious journal Neurology.
The authors of the study, Emanuele Cereda of the IRCCS University Hospital San Matteo Foundation in Pavia and Gianni Pezzoli of the Parkinson Institute in Milan, analyzed the results of 104 studies on the health effects of a wide variety of weed, fungal, rodent and insect control agents and solvents. The meta-analysis also included papers whose authors assessed the degree of exposure of people to contact with this type of substances depending on the place of residence or work performed.
It turned out that contact with pesticides, as well as with solvents, increased the risk of Parkinson’s disease by 33-80%.
The analysis also included very interesting, controlled research on the health effects of paraquat – a herbicide used on a mass scale since the early 60s (since 2007 this measure has been banned in the EU). They show that it increases the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease twice. A similar threat is posed by fungicides such as maneb and mancozeb.
Therefore, the inhabitants of villages who draw drinking water from the wells seem to be particularly exposed to the disease.
Source: Healthnewstrack